Surgical forceps

• US 20020123767A1
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Wolf GmbH (Richard & Annemarie Wolf- Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Richard Wolf GmbH (Richard & Annemarie Wolf- Stiftung)
• Inventors: Prestel, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 6,752,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/208
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/06 Biopsy forceps , e.g. with cup-shaped jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1608 the two jaw elements being linked to two elongated shaft elements moving longitudinally relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

The invention relates to a surgical forceps with a forceps jaw, with a handle consisting of two grip parts with which the one first grip part is connected to a forceps housing and the other second grip part is pivotable for opening and closing the jaw mouth, with an adjustment rod which is distally and proximally adjustable for opening and closing the jaw mouth and whose proximal end has a connection to a limb of the two-limbed second grip part, and with at least one wound spring element as an overload protection against the breakage of jaw parts. A particularly effective overload protection, a simple forceps construction and a small constructional size of the forceps are achieved according to the invention in that the spring element consists of a flat material wound in a serpentine manner with windings lying in one plane.

Claims

1. A surgical forceps with a forceps jaw, with a handle consisting of two grip parts with which the one first grip part is connected to a forceps housing and the other second grip part is pivotable for opening and closing the jaw mouth, with an adjustment rod which is distally and proximally adjustable for opening and closing the forceps jaw and whose proximal end has a connection to a limb of the two-limbed second grip part, and with at least one wound spring element as an overload protection against the breakage of jaw parts, wherein the spring element consists of a flat material wound in a serpentine manner with windings lying in one plane.

2. A forceps according to claim 1, wherein the spring element connects a limb of the second grip part directly to the proximal end of the adjusting rod.

3. A forceps according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spring element in the case of overload acts as a tension spring.

4. A forceps according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spring element in the case of overload acts as a compression spring.

5. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the forceps jaw is opened against the effect of a compression spring located in the forceps housing.

6. A forceps according to claim 5, wherein the compression spring which is formed as a helical spring and which runs through the adjusting rod is arranged in a sleeve adjustable axially in the forceps housing on pivoting the second grip part, and which with its one end is supported on the base of the sleeve open at one end and with its other end is supported on a shoulder in the forceps housing.

7. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the two ends of the spring element in each case are formed as a knuckle eye and wherein the knuckle eyes in each case are connected by way of a joint pin on the one hand to the adjusting rod and on the other hand to the limb of the second grip part.

8. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the neighbouring limb of the spring element windings diverge in the direction of the winding webs connecting them or converge in the direction of the free space of the windings.

9. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein at least two spring elements are connected parallel and are arranged next to one another with knuckle eyes flush at their ends.

10. A forceps according to claim 9, wherein the windings of a spring element in relation to windings of a spring element arranged next to it run displaced by half the width of a winding.

11. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein in the forceps housing and in the limb of the second grip part there are provided recesses open at the top for accommodating the spring element or the spring elements.

12. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 11, wherein each spring element consists of spring steel.

13. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 12, wherein each spring element consists of TiNi alloy.

14. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 13, wherein each spring element is manufactured with the laser cutting method out of a metal plate.

15. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 13, wherein each spring element is punched from a metal plate.

16. A forceps according to one of the claims 1 to 13, wherein each spring element is manufactured with the erosion method out of a metal plate.