Automatic hemostatic clip applicator

• US 5,104,395 A
• Filed: 04/11/1991
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Medical Incorporated (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Edward Weck Incorporated
• Inventors: Mericle, Robert W., Everett, Mark T., Thornton, Curtis W., Lynch, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US07/684,139
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 606/143, 606/142
• US Class Current: 606/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/128 for applying or removing clamps or clips

Abstract

An automatic hemostatic clip applicator is disclosed wherein the jaws, cartridge assembly and jaw housing move together in a single direction to crimp a clip resulting in a perception of little or no motion by the jaws when the applicator is activated. Camming surfaces in the jaws are brought into contact with camming surfaces on the distal end of the stationary body of the applicator as the jaws are moved proximally.

Claims

1. An instrument for applying hemostatic clips to tissue comprising:

a body;

a jaw means for retaining, holding and crimping a hemostatic clip, including a pair of spaced apart jaws at the end of said body, the jaws being movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position in their common plane to deform the clip positioned between said pair of jaws;

means for camming the jaws closed including first cam surface means associated with the jaws and coupled to said jaw means and second cam surface means affixed to the body and located proximally of the first cam surface means, and means for moving the jaw means and first cam surface means proximally into engagement with the second cam surface means to cause the jaws to move towards one another in their common plane to deform the clip;

a cartridge assembly coupled to said jaw means for movement therewith, said cartridge assembly including means for storing a plurality of hemostatic clips in a column;

dispensing means for selectively removing a hemostatic clip from said column in sequential fashion, said dispensing means comprising feed means for transferring a clip from said column to said jaws; and

a jaw housing affixed to said cartridge assembly, the combined unit formed by said jaw housing and cartridge assembly enclosing said second cam surface means and being graspable by a user of the instrument and movable relative to said body and second cam surface means;

said instrument further comprising;

actuating and sequencing means for sequentially actuating the means for feeding and the means for camming including lever means movable between a first open position and a second closed position, movement of said lever means from said first open position to said second closed position causing the camming means to move the jaws towards each other to close the clip.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein movement of said lever means from said first open position to said second closed position first causes the feeding means to withdraw from said jaws and then causes the camming means to move.

3. The instrument of claim 2 wherein said instrument further comprises:

means for preventing said clip from slipping within said jaws after said feed means has retracted but before said camming means has been activated, said preventing means including a flexible pawl member integrally formed with and extending from the distal end of said jaw housing along the longitudinal axis thereof, and having a distal end positioned between said jaws behind a clip held by said jaws when said feeding means is withdrawn, and a camming surface for engagement with said distal end of said body to move said pawl member distal end from between said jaws when said camming means is activated whereby said jaws are free to move relative to one another.

4. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said activating and sequencing means comprises a single driver link coupled between said lever means and said jaw means and cartridge assembly, said driver link and said feed means being moved proximally when said lever means moves from said first open position to said second closed position.

5. The instrument of claim 4 wherein said first cam surface means comprises a cam surface extending laterally outwardly from each of said jaws and wherein said second cam surface means comprises a slot in the body distal end, the profile of said cam surfaces being such as to cause the jaws to close more quickly at the beginning of the closure of the jaws and more slowly at the end.

6. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said cartridge assembly comprises a pre-assembled cartridge assembly comprising:

top and bottom housing portions;

feeding means slidable along said housing bottom;

an array of hemostatic clips directly supported by said feeding means and slidable thereon;

said dispensing means including a pusher means for pushing said array of clips to the distal end of said cartridge assembly, and means for moving the distal most clip to a feeding path in front of said feeding means when said feeding means is retracted a predetermined distance from said jaws.

7. The instrument of claim 6 where said driver link comprises a flat elongated member and is coupled to said feeding means on one side and to said jaw means on said other side.

8. The instrument of claim 7 wherein said instrument comprises a jaw housing coupled to said cartridge top to encircle a distal portion of aid body, said jaw means and driver link disposed between said jaw housing and said cartridge bottom.

9. The instrument of claim 6 wherein said cartridge assembly comprises a transparent plastic top with indicia placed thereon to indicate the number of clips remaining in said cartridge.

10. The instrument of claim 9 wherein said dispensing means comprises in part a spring biased pusher engaging the proximal most clip in said column, said pusher being visibly highlighted to make the pusher more visible through said transparent top.

11. An instrument for applying hemostatic clips to tissue comprising:

a body;

a jaw means for retaining, holding and crimping a hemostatic clip, including a pair of spaced apart jaws at the end of said body, the jaws being movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position in their common plane to deform the clip positioned between said pair of jaws;

means for camming the jaws closed including first cam surface means associated with the jaws and coupled to said jaw means and second cam surface means associated with the body located proximally of the first cam surface means, and means for moving the jaw means and first cam surface means proximally into engagement with the second cam surface means to cause the jaws to move towards one another in their common plane to deform the clip;

a cartridge assembly coupled to said jaw means for movement therewith including;

means for storing a plurality of hemostatic clips in a column;

dispensing means for selectively and automatically dispensing a hemostatic clip from said column in sequential fashion to a feeding path distally of the distal end of the below named feeding means when said feeding means is retracted but before said jaws move from said open position; and

feeding means for transferring a dispensed clip from said column to said jaws;

said instrument further comprising;

actuating and sequencing means for sequentially actuating the means for feeding and the means for camming including lever means movable between a first open position and a second closed position, movement of said lever means from said first open position to said second closed position first causing the feeding means to withdraw from said jaws and then causing the camming means to move the jaws towards each other to close the clip, and movement of said lever means from said second closed position to said first open position causing said jaws to move from said closed position to said open position and subsequently causing said feeding means to feed a new clip to said spaced apart jaws,

said instrument further comprising means for preventing feeding of another clip to said jaws after said feeding means has been retracted into said cartridge until after said lever means has been moved to said second position, said preventing means comprising a yoke coupled to said lever means for moving proximally with respect to said body when said lever means is moved from said first open position to said second closed position and a cam track associated with the proximal end of said body, said yoke including a cam track follower for engagement with said cam track during movement of said yoke between first and second positions of said lever means, said cam track follower engaging one side of said cam track when said yoke moves proximally and an opposite side of said cam track when said yoke moves distally, said cam track preventing said yoke from moving distally after said feeding means has retracted until said lever means reaches said second position.