Bipolar clamp
First Claim
1. Bipolar clamp comprising:
- two clamp members, that are joined together mechanically by means of an insulating pivot joint about which they can rotate with respect to one another, but that are electrically insulated from one another,electrode components at distal ends of the clamp members for grasping tissue and conducting an electrical current through the tissue to cause coagulation,handle devices at proximal ends of the clamp members,current-supply means for supplying the electrical current to the electrode components, wherein the current-supply means is disposed at the proximal end of one of the clamp members, andratchets which are located between the pivot joint and the proximal ends of the clamp members to lock the clamp members to one another when in a closed position, wherein the ratchets form a conducting section of the current-supply means and are constructed such that current flow from the current-supply means to the electrode components is possible only when the ratchets are in their closed position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a bipolar clamp (10) comprising two scissor members (12, 14), which are joined together mechanically by means of an insulating screw or similar pivot joint (16) about which they can rotate with respect to one another, but are electrically insulated from one another,
- electrode components (18, 20) at distal ends (22, 24) of the scissor members (12, 14) for grasping tissue and conducting an electrical current through the tissue to cause. coagulation,
- handle devices (26, 28) at proximal ends (30, 32) of the scissor members (12, 14),
- current-supply means (34, 40, 42) at the proximal end (32) of one scissor member (14)
- ratchets (36, 38) between the pivot joint (16) and the proximal ends (32, 34) to lock, the scissor members (12, 14) to one another in a closed position.
In accordance with the invention the current-supply means (34, 40, 42) are so disposed, and the ratchets (36, 38) are so constructed, that current flow from the current-supply means (34, 40, 42) to the electrode components (18, 20) is possible only in the closed position. These measures make manipulation of the bipolar clamp (10) safer, because a coagulation current cannot flow until the clamp is in the closed position.
144 Citations
10 Claims
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1. Bipolar clamp comprising:
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two clamp members, that are joined together mechanically by means of an insulating pivot joint about which they can rotate with respect to one another, but that are electrically insulated from one another, electrode components at distal ends of the clamp members for grasping tissue and conducting an electrical current through the tissue to cause coagulation, handle devices at proximal ends of the clamp members, current-supply means for supplying the electrical current to the electrode components, wherein the current-supply means is disposed at the proximal end of one of the clamp members, and ratchets which are located between the pivot joint and the proximal ends of the clamp members to lock the clamp members to one another when in a closed position, wherein the ratchets form a conducting section of the current-supply means and are constructed such that current flow from the current-supply means to the electrode components is possible only when the ratchets are in their closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Bipolar clamp, comprising:
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two clamp members, that are joined together mechanically by means of an insulating pivot joint about which they can rotate with respect to one another, but that are electrically insulated from one another, electrode components at distal ends of the clamp members for grasping tissue and conducting an electrical current through the tissue to cause coagulation, handle devices at proximal ends of the clamp members, current-supply means for supplying the electrical current to the electrode components, wherein the current-supply means includes two or more electrical leads that at least in sections are guided along the clamp members, and two or more ratchets which are located between the pivot joint and the proximal ends of the clamp members to lock the clamp members to one another when in a closed position, and which are constructed such that current flow from the current-supply means to the electrode components is possible only when the ratchets are in the closed position, wherein the clamp members include at least in part an electrically insulating material and the electrical leads are guided by guide devices defined by the clamp members in the form of at least one of a groove, a bore and a channel and, wherein at least one of the ratchets comprises an electrically conductive locking part and a carrier part, the locking part being fixed to the carrier part in such a way that between the locking part and the carrier part is defined a gap to accommodate a section of an electrical lead that is electrically connected to the locking part. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. Bipolar clamp, comprising:
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two clamp members, that are joined together mechanically by means of an insulating pivot joint about which they can rotate with respect to one another, but that are electrically insulated from one another, electrode components at distal ends of the clamp members for grasping tissue and conducting an electrical current through the tissue to cause coagulation, handle devices at proximal ends of the clamp members, current-supply means for supplying the electrical current to the electrode components, and ratchets which are located between the pivot joint and the proximal ends of the clamp members to lock the clamp members to one another when in a closed position, and are constructed such that current flow from the current-supply means to the electrode components is possible only when the ratchets are in their closed position, wherein the current-supply means is disposed at one of the proximal ends of the clamp members, the clamp members are made of an electrically conductive material and externally are electrically insulated, and the ratchets form a conducting section of the current-supply means.
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Specification