Applicator instruments for dispensing surgical fasteners during open repair procedures
First Claim
1. An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising:
- a housing;
a firing system disposed in said housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions along a first axis;
an elongated shaft extending from said housing, said elongated shaft having a proximal section and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section;
a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in said elongated shaft for being dispensed from a distal end of said elongated shaft;
a handle extending upwardly from said housing along a second axis that defines an acute angle with said first axis;
a trigger mounted on said handle;
a linkage coupling said trigger with said handle and said firing system, wherein when said trigger is squeezed toward said handle, said linkage guides said trigger along a linear path of movement relative to said handle, wherein said trigger has a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the second axis of said handle, and wherein the second axis of said handle and the longitudinal axis of said trigger slope toward the distal end of said elongated shaft.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing, a firing system disposed in the housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions along a first axis, and an elongated shaft extending from the housing, the elongated shaft having a proximal section and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section. A plurality of surgical fasteners are disposed in the elongated shaft. The applicator instrument has a handle that extends upwardly from the housing along a second axis that defines an acute angle with the first axis. A trigger is mounted on the handle, and a linkage couples the trigger with the handle and the firing system. When the trigger is squeezed, the linkage guides the trigger along a linear path of movement relative to the handle.
174 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising:
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a housing; a firing system disposed in said housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions along a first axis; an elongated shaft extending from said housing, said elongated shaft having a proximal section and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section; a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in said elongated shaft for being dispensed from a distal end of said elongated shaft; a handle extending upwardly from said housing along a second axis that defines an acute angle with said first axis; a trigger mounted on said handle; a linkage coupling said trigger with said handle and said firing system, wherein when said trigger is squeezed toward said handle, said linkage guides said trigger along a linear path of movement relative to said handle, wherein said trigger has a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the second axis of said handle, and wherein the second axis of said handle and the longitudinal axis of said trigger slope toward the distal end of said elongated shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising:
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a housing; a firing system disposed in said housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions along a first axis; an elongated shaft extending from said housing, said elongated shaft having a proximal section and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section; a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in said elongated shaft for being dispensed from a distal end of said elongated shaft; a handle extending upwardly from said housing along a second axis that defines an acute angle with said first axis; a trigger mounted on said handle; a linkage coupling said trigger with said handle and said firing system, wherein when said trigger is squeezed toward said handle, said linkage guides said trigger along a linear path of movement relative to said handle, wherein the linear path of movement of said trigger defines a third axis that forms an acute angle with the first axis and is perpendicular to the second axis.
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14. An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising:
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a housing defining a bottom of said applicator instrument; a firing system disposed in said housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions; a handle extending upwardly from said housing and sloping toward a distal end of said applicator instrument, said handle having an upper end that defines a top of said applicator instrument; a shaft extending distally from said housing near the bottom of said applicator instrument, said shaft having a proximal section that extends along a longitudinal axis of said applicator instrument and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section for extending upwardly toward the top of said applicator instrument; a plurality of surgical fasteners loaded into said shaft; a trigger mounted on said handle for moving along a linear path relative to said handle for actuating said firing system so as to dispense said surgical fasteners from a distal end of said shaft, wherein said handle and said trigger have respective longitudinal axes that are parallel to one another, and wherein the respective longitudinal axes slope toward the distal end of said shaft. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising:
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a housing defining a bottom of said applicator instrument; a firing system disposed in said housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions; a handle extending upwardly from said housing and sloping toward a distal end of said applicator instrument, said handle having an upper end that defines a top of said applicator instrument; a shaft extending distally from said housing near the bottom of said applicator instrument, said shaft having a proximal section that extends along a longitudinal axis of said applicator instrument and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section for extending upwardly toward the top of said applicator instrument; a plurality of surgical fasteners loaded into said shaft; a trigger mounted on said handle for moving along a linear path relative to said handle for actuating said firing system so as to dispense said surgical fasteners from a distal end of said shaft, further comprising a cap secured to the distal end of said shaft, said cap having a lower distal edge and a distal face that slopes upwardly and proximally from said lower distal edge, said cap including a delivery window formed in said distal face, said delivery window having a lower end that is spaced from said lower distal edge.
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18. An applicator instrument comprising:
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a housing defining a bottom of said surgical instrument; an elongated shaft extending from said housing along the bottom of said surgical instrument, said elongated shaft having a proximal end secured to said housing and a distal end remote therefrom; a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in said elongated shaft; a handle extending upwardly from said housing along an axis that slopes toward the distal end of said elongated shaft, said handle having an upper end that defines a top of said surgical instrument; a trigger mounted on said handle for moving relative to said handle along a linear path; a linkage coupling said trigger with said handle for guiding movement of said trigger along the linear path relative to said handle, wherein said linkage comprises a first rotating link having upper gear teeth and lower gear teeth, said first rotating link being disposed inside an upper portion of said trigger; a first pivot pivotally securing said first rotating link to the upper portion of said trigger; a second rotating link having upper gear teeth and lower gear teeth, said second rotating link being disposed inside a lower portion of said trigger; a second pivot pivotally securing said second rotating link to the lower portion of said trigger; and the lower gear teeth of said first rotating link meshing with the upper gear teeth of said second rotating link, wherein when said trigger is squeezed toward said trigger, said first and second rotating links rotate at the same rate for moving said trigger along the linear path relative to said handle.
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Specification