Orthopaedic ratcheting forceps
First Claim
1. A forceps comprising:
- a first member having a clamping portion at a first end and a gripping portion at a second end;
a second member pivotally connected to said first member at a first pivot point, said second member having a clamping portion at a first end and a gripping portion at a second end, said first and second gripping portions adapted to be gripped by the thumb and fingers of a hand;
a leaf spring mounted on the first members, the leaf spring having first and second ends, the first end mounted on the first member, the leaf spring spaced along a length of the first member, the leaf spring having a length greater than the length between the first and second ends along the first member so that the leaf spring can lie on either side of a straight line connecting the first and second ends thereof;
a locking element mounted on said first member for engaging a complimentary locking element on said second member, said locking element on the first member having an element engaging the leaf spring for moving the leaf spring from a first side of the line to a second side of the line; and
an actuator mounted on said first member for moving said locking element between a first locked position and a second unlocked position, the leaf spring biasing the locking element toward the first locked position when on the first side of the line and biasing the locking element toward the second unlocked position when on the second side of the line, said actuator adapted to be moved by said thumb or fingers of said hand while said gripping portions of said first and second members are gripped.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An orthopaedic ratcheting forceps, especially for fixation of fractures, comprises two handles, wherein a first catching element is mounted pivotally with one handle and wherein a complementary catching element is mounted in the other handle. The forceps can assume only two stable settings which can be switched with a single hand, one closed setting within which the jaws of the forceps can only be further closed and an open setting within which the handles of the forceps are freely movable so that the forceps can be opened as well as closed. In one handle a leaf spring is provided and biased between two mounting points which spring is mounted between abutting side walls within said handle. Furthermore a lever end connected with one of the catching elements engages the spring and through movement of the activation element the lever end and/or the spring is switchable between the closed setting and the open setting.
37 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A forceps comprising:
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a first member having a clamping portion at a first end and a gripping portion at a second end; a second member pivotally connected to said first member at a first pivot point, said second member having a clamping portion at a first end and a gripping portion at a second end, said first and second gripping portions adapted to be gripped by the thumb and fingers of a hand; a leaf spring mounted on the first members, the leaf spring having first and second ends, the first end mounted on the first member, the leaf spring spaced along a length of the first member, the leaf spring having a length greater than the length between the first and second ends along the first member so that the leaf spring can lie on either side of a straight line connecting the first and second ends thereof; a locking element mounted on said first member for engaging a complimentary locking element on said second member, said locking element on the first member having an element engaging the leaf spring for moving the leaf spring from a first side of the line to a second side of the line; and an actuator mounted on said first member for moving said locking element between a first locked position and a second unlocked position, the leaf spring biasing the locking element toward the first locked position when on the first side of the line and biasing the locking element toward the second unlocked position when on the second side of the line, said actuator adapted to be moved by said thumb or fingers of said hand while said gripping portions of said first and second members are gripped. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An orthopedic ratcheting forceps comprising:
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a first handle having a clamping portion at a first end and a gripping portion at a second end; a second handle pivotally connected to said first handle at a first pivot point, said second handle having a clamping portion at a first end and a gripping portion at a second end, said first and second gripping portions are adapted to be gripped by the thumb and fingers of a hand; a first catching element pivotally mounted with said first or second handle, a second catching element being complimentary to the first catching element and mounted with the other handle of the first or second handle, said first and said second catching element can assume only two stable settings which can be switched with said hand, one closed setting within the clamping portions can only be further closed and an open setting within which the handles are freely moveable, so that the forceps can be opened as well as closed; a spring member arranged in said first handle or said second handle, wherein said spring member is biased between a first mounting point and a second mounting point; a lever end which is connected with one of the catching elements engages the spring member; an actuator which is in connection with said lever end for moving said lever end between the closed setting and the open setting; wherein said second mounting point is the point of engagement of the lever end which can be switched between two side walls within said first handle and the first catching element and the complementary catching element are curved elements wherein at least one catching element has a changing radius of curvature to provide a blocking element when the forceps is in its closed setting upon contact of the surfaces of the catching elements against further movement in the direction of openings the forceps. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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- 20. An orthopedic ratcheting forceps, comprising first and second handles, each handle having a jaw at one end thereof, wherein a first catching element is pivotally mounted with the first handle, wherein a complementary catching element is mounted on the second handle, wherein the catching elements can assume a closed and an open stable setting which can be switched with a single hand, the closed setting where the jaws of the forceps can only be further closed and the open setting wherein the handles of the forceps are freely movable, so that the forceps can be opened as well as closed, wherein a spring means is provided in the first handle, the spring means is biased between first and second mounting points, a lever end connected with one of the catching element engages the spring means and through movement of an activation element the lever end is switchable between the closed setting and the open setting, wherein the second mounting point is the point of engagement of the lever end which can be switched between two side walls formed with the first handle, and the first catching element and the complementary catching element are curved elements wherein at least one catching element has a changing radius of curvature, in order to provide, in the closed setting, a blocking device upon contact of the surfaces of the catching element against further movement in the direction of opening the forceps.
Specification