Surgical-clip applicator

• US 20040138681A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arnold Pier
• Original Assignee: Arnold Pier
• Inventors: Pier, Arnold
• Application Number:
  US10/475,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20040138681A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used

Abstract

In a surgical clamp applicator (1) comprising a grip (2) having an actuating means (4); a shaft tube (6) fastened to the grip (2), in which shaft tube (6) a push rod (8) adapted to be shifted in longitudinal direction by the actuating means (4) and returned by spring force is arranged; and an exchangeable head portion (17) arranged at the distal end of the shaft tube (6), said head portion (17) compring a clamp magazine (12) receiving a plurality of clamps (10); and a closing element (14) for the clamps (10) arranged at the distal end (16) of the head portion (17), wherein the push rod (8), in the proximal portion (20) of the shaft tube (6) acts upon a spring-loaded piston element (25) arranged in the head portion (17), said piston element (25) being connected with a transport slide (24) for the clamps (10) in the clamp magazine (12), it is provided that between the push rod (8) and the piston element (25) a snap-in element (54) is arranged.

Claims

1. Surgical clamp applicator (1) comprising

a grip (2) having an actuating means (4),

a shaft tube (6) fastened to the grip (2), in which shaft tube (6) a push rod (8) adapted to be shifted in longitudinal direction with the aid of the actuating means (4) and returned by spring force is arranged, and

an exchangeable head portion (17) arranged at the distal end of the shaft tube (6), said head portion (17) comprising a clamp magazine (12) receiving a plurality of clamps (10), and a closing element (14) for the clamps (10) arranged at the distal end (16) of the head portion (17), wherein the push rod (8), in the proximal portion (20) of the shaft tube (6), acts upon a spring-loaded piston element (25) arranged in the head portion (17), said piston element (25) being connected with a transport slide (24) for the clamps (10) in the clamp magazine (12),

characterized in that

between the push rod (8) and the piston element (25) a snap-in element (54) is arranged.

2. Clamp applicator according to claim 1, characterized in that the snap-in element (54) allows from an initial position up to a snap-in position via the feed path a return to the initial position, and the snap-in element (54), after having reached the snap-in position, can be returned into the initial position only when the distally farthermost clamp (10) has been closed.

3. Clamp applicator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the clamp magazine (12) a plurality of clamps (10) arranged one after the other are guided in a clamp shaft (26) and engage each other.

4. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a locking tongue (19) retains the clamps (10) in their position during movement of the transport slide (24) in proximal direction when the farthermost distal clamp (10) has been closed and ejected.

5. Clamp applicator according to claim 4, characterized in that the snap-in element (54) snaps in at a location distal to the first feed area at a feed position of the push rod (6) at which the locking tongue (19) grips behind the proximal end of the second clamp (10).

6. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the transport slide (24) comprises a slide head (27) whose distal front face (28) presses against a proximal end of a clamp (10).

7. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the transport slide (24) during movement in proximal direction can be displaced when it runs over a clamp (10).

8. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the clamps (10) comprise projections (13) arranged on the outside of the legs (10a,10b), said projections (13) engaging recesses (30) matching the projections and provided on the inside of the legs (10A,10B) of another clamp (10) arranged in proximal direction.

9. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the transport slide (24) acts upon the farthermost distal clamp (10) in the clamp magazine (12).

10. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that the proximal end of the clamp (10) which is the second one in proximal direction in the clamp magazine (12) bears against the locking tongue (19).

11. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the head portion (17) comprises an upper shell (36) and a lower shell (35).

12. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the head portion (17) is connected via a bayonet catch with the proximal portion (20) of the shaft tube (6).

13. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that the clamp shaft (26), in the distal portion of the head portion (17), is inclined by approximately 7°

to 15°

, preferably 9°

relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft tube (6).

14. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 2 to 13, characterized in that the closing element (14) consists of a narrowed section (42) at the distal end of the clamp shaft (26), in which narrowed section (42) the legs (10a, 10b) of the farthermost clamp (10) are closed during the feed movement.

15. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that instead of the last clamp (10) in the clamp magazine (12) a locking part (11) comprising a proximally projecting web portion (56) is arranged.

16. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the head portion (17) comprises an inspection window (58) at least in the area of the distal end of the clamp magazine (12).

17. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the shaft tube (6) is rotatably supported in the grip (2).

18. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the actuating means (4) consists of a release lever (18) supported on the grip (2), which release lever (18) acts upon the push rod (8).

19. Clamp applicator according to claim 18, characterized in that a leaf spring (15) act against the force of the return movement of the push rod (8) upon the release lever (18), said leaf spring (15) defining a shiftable stop for the release lever (18).

20. Clamp applicator according to one of claims 2 to 19, characterized in that at least one spring portion (60) of the snap-in element (54) engages at least one guide groove (62,64), and the guide groove (62) comprises at least one recess or one snap-in projection (66) which can be engaged by a nose (68) of the spring portion (60) in the snap-in position of the snap-in element (54).