Spring activated hemostatic clip applicator

• US 4,674,504 A
• Filed: 03/22/1985
• Issued: 06/23/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles H. Klieman, Richard M. Densmore
• Original Assignee: Charles H. Klieman, Richard M. Densmore
• Inventors: Klieman, Charles H., Densmore, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shedd, C. W.
• Application Number:
  US06/715,200
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 128/334 R, 128/325, 128/335, 128/326, 227/19, 227/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/128 for applying or removing clamps or clips

Abstract

A surgical clip applying device having a main body, a clip magazine coupled to the main body for holding a plurality of clips, clip deforming jaws coupled to the main body for receiving and deforming clips, a clip loading mechanism for loading clips from the magazine to a clip feed blade which moves clips from the clip magazine to the deforming jaws, and a spring activated actuating mechanism. The clip loading mechanism includes a double ratchet apparatus coupled to a pawl for advancing the clips through the magazine. The actuating mechanism includes handle portions, a ratchet member having a cam follower which is coupled to a camming surface which is in turn coupled to one of the handle portions, a spring connected to the main body and the ratchet member, and a latch adapted to engage the ratchet member. By movement of one of the handle portions with respect to the other handle portion, the camming surface engages the cam follower to store energy in the spring, which is retained therein via engagement of the latch with the ratchet member. In operation, a slight movement of one of the handle portions with respect to the other handle portion disengages the latch from the ratchet member so that the energy stored in the spring is converted into rapid forward movement of the clip feed blade. This forward movement causes the clip loading mechanism to advance a clip and, in addition, causes the clip feed blade to slide through the magazine to rapidly place a clip in the deforming jaws.

Claims

1. A clip magazine for a surgical clip applying device comprising:

a housing wherein a plurality of clips are stored;

clip feed means for sequentially ejecting clips from the housing; and

clip loading means for sequentially loading clips to the clip feed means, said clip loading means including a first ratchet bar coupled to the housing, a second ratchet bar coupled to the clip feed means and adapted to be moved in a reciprocating forward and rearward motion, and pawl means for urging the clips through the housing, said pawl means having means for alternately engaging the second ratchet bar as the second ratchet bar moves forward such that the pawl means is moved forward with the second ratchet bar, and for engaging the first ratchet bar as the second ratchet bar moves rearward to prevent rearward movement of the pawl means.

2. The clip magazine of claim 1 wherein each ratchet bar has a plurality of recesses and the engaging means of the pawl means includes a first tab portion for engaging a recess of the first ratchet bar to prevent the pawl means from moving rearward and a second tab portion for engaging a recess of the second ratchet bar as the second ratchet bar moves forward.

3. The clip magazine of claim 1 wherein the first and second ratchet bars are positioned parallel with respect to each other and define a groove therebetween for slidingly holding the plurality of clips arranged in a longitudinal line with respect to the ratchet bars.

4. A clip magazine for a surgical clip applying device comprising:

a housing wherein a plurality of clips are stored;

clip feed means for sequentially ejecting clips from the housing; and

clip loading means for sequentially loading clips in the clip feed means, said clip loading means including a first ratchet bar coupled to the housing, a second ratchet bar coupled to the clip feed means, and pawl means engaging the ratchet bars, for urging the clips forward through the housing, said first and second ratchet bars each having a plurality of recesses disposed therein and said pawl means having first and second resilient tab portions adapted to alternately engage the recesses of the first and second ratchet bars such that forward movement of the second ratchet bar causes forward movement of the pawl means by the engagement of the second tab portion with a recess of the second ratchet bar, and rearward movement of the pawl means, when the second ratchet bar moves rearward, is prevented by the engagement of the first tab portion with a recess of the first ratchet bar.

5. A clip magazine for a surgical clip applying device, comprising:

a first ratchet bar having a plurality of apertures;

a second ratchet bar having a plurality of apertures; and

a pawl for engaging the rearward most clip of a line of clips, said pawl having a first resilient tab adapted to engage an aperture of the first ratchet bar and a second resilient tab adapted to engage an aperture of the second ratchet bar;

wherein forward movement of the second ratchet bar causes the second pawl resilient tab to engage an aperture of the second ratchet bar so that the forward movement of the second ratchet bar moves the pawl and the clips forward, and a subsequent rearward movement of the second ratchet bar causes the second pawl resilient tab to disengage the second ratchet bar and the first pawl resilient tab to engage an aperture of the first ratchet bar to prevent further rearward movement of the pawl.

6. A clip magazine for a surgical clip applying device, comprising:

first and second ratchet bars positioned parallel with respect to each other and defining a groove therebetween for slidingly holding a plurality of clips arranged in a longitudinal line with respect to the ratchet bars, each bar further defining a plurality of recesses aligned generally parallel to said longitudinal line;

means for reciprocatingly moving the ratchet bars relative to each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal line; and

pawl means, positioned between the first and second ratchet bars, for alternately engaging the recesses of the reciprocating first and second ratchet bars to urge the clips through the groove.

7. In a clip magazine for holding a plurality of surgical clips for a surgical clip applying device, the improvement comprising:

ratchet means for advancing the clips through the magazine, said ratchet means defining first and second sets of recesses and having pawl means for alternately engaging the first and second sets of recesses and for sequentially engaging the recesses of both sets of recesses in response to reciprocating forward and rearward motion of one set of recesses relative to the other wherein the clips are progressively driven forward by the pawl means which is progressively driven forward by the reciprocating motion of said one set of recesses and the alternating and sequential engagement of the pawl means with the recesses.

8. A hemostatic clip magazine for a hemostatic clip applicator comprising:

a housing wherein a plurality of clips are stored in a line, said housing having an exit through which the clips move to the applicator; and

clip advancement means within the housing for advancing the line of clips to the housing exit, said clip advancement means including a first ratchet bar coupled to the housing, a second ratchet bar adapted to be moved in a reciprocating forward and rearward motion, and pawl means for engaging the last clip of the line of clips, said second ratchet bar having means for engaging the pawl means as the second ratchet bar moves forward so that the pawl means is moved forward with the second ratchet bar thereby advancing the line of clips, and said first ratchet bar having means for engaging the pawl means as the second ratchet bar moves rearward to prevent rearward movement of the pawl means and the line of clips.

9. A clip magazine for a surgical clip applying device, comprising:

a first substantially flat ratchet bar having a plurality of spaced apertures in a line;

a second substantially flat ratchet bar having a plurality of spaced apertures in a line, said second bar being adapted for forward and rearward movement relative to the first ratchet bar;

a plurality of hemostatic clips stored in a line and lying flat between the first and second bars wherein the apertures of the first and second bars are spaced a distance approximately equal to the length of each clip, said first and second bars have a width approximately equal to the width of the clips and said first and second bars are positioned parallel to one another within the magazine and are spaced a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the clips to guide the line of clips between the first and second bars; and

a pawl positioned between the first and second bars for engaging the rearward most clip of the line of clips and for moving the line of clips forward, said pawl having first and second resilient tabs adapted to alternately engage an aperture of the first ratchet bar upon rearward movement of the second bar, and an aperture of the second bar upon forward movement of the second bar, respectively, so that the pawl and the line of clips advance forward with each forward movement of the second bar.

10. A hemostatic clip magazine for a hemostatic clip applicator having clip deforming jaws, comprising:

first and second ratchet bars positioned parallel with respect to each other and defining a groove therebetween for slidingly holding a plurality of clips arranged in a longitudinal line with respect to the ratchet bars, each bar further defining a plurality of recesses aligned generally parallel to said longitudinal line, said second bar being adapted for forward and rearward movement,

a feed blade adapted for reciprocating forward and rearward movement, said blade having an end adapted to engage a clip and move a clip from the magazine to the clip deforming jaws;

lost motion means for coupling the feed blade to the second bar so that reciprocating forward and rearward movement of the feed blade causes a smaller reciprocating forward and rearward movement of the second bar; and

pawl means, positioned between the first and second ratchet bars, for engaging the rearward most clip of the line of clips and for alternately engaging the recesses of the first and second ratchet bars as the second bar reciprocates rearward and forward, respectively, to urge the clips forward through the groove.