Positive feed system for a surgical ligating instrument
First Claim
1. A ligating instrument for applying clamping clips to blood vessels, said instrument comprising a first handle terminating at its forward end in a first jaw, a second handle and a second jaw both coupled to said first handle, said first and second handles being manually shiftable between open and closed positions, said first jaw being shiftable by said first handle and second jaw being shiftable by said second handle between open and closed clip-clamping positions, an elongated magazine, a row of clips located within said magazine, clip feed means mounted within a clip feed track, said clip feed track being parallel to and adjacent to said magazine and extending to the forward ends of said first and second jaws, said clip feed means being shiftable by said first and second handles between a retracted position removed from said jaws when said handles are in their closed positions and an extended clip-locating position between said jaws when said handles are in their open positions, passage means connecting said magazine and said clip feed track, and means for transferring each clip from the forward end of said magazine to said clip feed track via said passage means, said transfer means comprising a plunger normally located in an unactuated position adjacent said magazine, said plunger being shiftable by one of said jaws from said unactuated position to an actuated position within said magazine to shift said forwardmost clip through said passage means into said clip feed track upon closing of said handles whereby said forwardmost clip can be delivered to said forward ends of said first and second jaws by said clip feed means when said handles return to said open position.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved clip feed system for a surgical ligating instrument of the type having first and second clip-clamping jaws at its forward end, a pair of handles to shift the jaws between open, clip-feeding and closed, clip-clamping positions, an elongated tube-like clip magazine containing a plurality of clips lying in a row, one behind the other, in the same plane and a feeder shoe to constantly urge the row of clips toward the forward end of the instrument and the forwardmost clip to a staging area in front of the magazine, a pusher track parallel to the clip magazine and extending to the forward ends of the jaws, and a pusher actuated by the handles between a retracted clip-receiving position when the handles and jaws are in their clip-clamping positions and an extended position locating a clip at the forward ends of the jaws when the handles and the jaws are in their clip-feeding positions. The improved clip-feed system comprises a plunger normally located in and biased to an unactuated position adjacent the staging area. The plunger is shiftable by the second jaw, as the second jaw moves to its clip-clamping position, to an actuated position wherein the plunger positively shifts the forwardmost clip from the staging area to the pusher track, the plunger returning to its unactuated position when the second jaw is shifted to its open, clip-feeding position.
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Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A ligating instrument for applying clamping clips to blood vessels, said instrument comprising a first handle terminating at its forward end in a first jaw, a second handle and a second jaw both coupled to said first handle, said first and second handles being manually shiftable between open and closed positions, said first jaw being shiftable by said first handle and second jaw being shiftable by said second handle between open and closed clip-clamping positions, an elongated magazine, a row of clips located within said magazine, clip feed means mounted within a clip feed track, said clip feed track being parallel to and adjacent to said magazine and extending to the forward ends of said first and second jaws, said clip feed means being shiftable by said first and second handles between a retracted position removed from said jaws when said handles are in their closed positions and an extended clip-locating position between said jaws when said handles are in their open positions, passage means connecting said magazine and said clip feed track, and means for transferring each clip from the forward end of said magazine to said clip feed track via said passage means, said transfer means comprising a plunger normally located in an unactuated position adjacent said magazine, said plunger being shiftable by one of said jaws from said unactuated position to an actuated position within said magazine to shift said forwardmost clip through said passage means into said clip feed track upon closing of said handles whereby said forwardmost clip can be delivered to said forward ends of said first and second jaws by said clip feed means when said handles return to said open position.
- 8. A positive clip feed system for a surgical ligating instrument of the type having first and second jaws at its forward end, first and second handles shiftable between open and closed positions to shift said jaws between open, clip-feeding and closed, clip-clamping positions respectively, a magazine having a forward end and containing a row of clips and means to constantly urge the row of clips toward said forward end of said magazine, a pusher track adjacent said forward end of said magazine and extending to the forward ends of said jaws, and a pusher in said pusher track with a forward end, said pusher being shiftable by said handles between a retracted position with its forward end behind said forward end of said magazine when said handles and said jaws are in their closed positions and an extended position with its forward end adjacent the forward ends of said jaws when said handles and jaws are in their open positions, said positive clip feed system comprising a staging area in said instrument adjacent said forward end of said magazine, said clip urging means locating the forwardmost clip of said row in said staging area, and a plunger normally located in an unactuated position outside said staging area, said plunger being shiftable by one of said jaws from said unactuated position to an actuated position within said staging area to shift said forwardmost clip from said staging area into said pusher track when said last mentioned jaw is shifted to its closed position, and biasing means to return said plunger to its unactuated position when said last mentioned jaw returns to its open position, whereby said forwardmost clip in said pusher track can be engaged and shifted to the forward ends of said jaws by said forward end of said pusher when said pusher is in its extended position.
Specification