Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A surgical fastening apparatus comprising: first and second handles: an anvil jaw pivotally connected to at least one of said handles and movable in response to a first movement of at least one of said handles between an open position and a closed position; fastener pushing means for advancing an individual fastener into contact with said anvil jaw in response to a subsequent movement of at least one of said handles; means for indicating to a user the termination of said first movement; and means for preventing incomplete actuation of said fastener pushing means during said subsequent movement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising cam means for closing said anvil jaw and for actuating said fastener pushing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
133 words
A surgical fastener apparatus comprising: first and second handles; an anvil jaw pivotally connected to at least one of said handles for movement between an open position and a closed position; fastener pushing means for advancing an individual fastener into contact with said anvil jaw; means for closing the anvil jaw and for actuating said fastener pushing means in a three phase movement wherein a first relative movement of said handles said anvil jaw pivots to a closed position, in a second subsequent movement of said handles said anvil jaw remains stationary and said fastener pushing means ins not yet actuated, and in a third movement of said handles said fastener pushing means is actuated; and means for preventing incomplete actuation of said fastener pushing means during said third movement of said handles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 2 or 3, wherein the means for closing said anvil jaw and for actuating said fastener pushing means comprise cam means comprising a first link member connecting said second handle to said anvil jaw, wherein said first link member includes a first camming slot cooperating with a pin connected to said second handle and further includes a second camming slot cooperating with a pin connected to said anvil jaw.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said second camming slot has a driving portion and a guiding portion, wherein said pin first travels in said driving portion to pivot said anvil jaw to a closed position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 5, further comprising a second link member connecting said first link member to said fastener pushing means, said second link member including a camming member including a camming slot having guiding and driving portions cooperating with a pin connected to said first link member wherein when said pin first travels in said guiding portion, said fastener pushing means is not actuated and when said pin subsequently travels in said drivng portion, said second link member actuates said fastener pushing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein during the first movement of the apparatus, the pin connecting the first link member to the second link member begins travel in the guiding portions of the respective camming slot of the second link member as, simultaneously, the pin connecting the first link member to the anvil jaw travels in the driving portion of the second camming slot of the first link member, whereby the anvil jaw pivots to a closed position.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as recited in any one of the preceding claims, in which means for indicating to a user the termination of said first movement comprises means for providing a second movement dwell period.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 8 as dependent on claim 6, wherein the dwell period corresponds to the travel of the pin connecting the anvil jaw to the first link member and the travel of the pin connecting the first link member to the second link member in the guiding portions of their respective camming slots.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 4, or any of claims 5 to 9 as dependent on claim 4, wherein said first link member is spring biased to a distal position wherein the apparatus is biased to an open position.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus as recited in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for preventing incomplete actuation of the fastener pushing means comprises a ratchet portion of the second handle adapted to engage a pawl mounted on the first handle wherein the ratchet engages the pawl during the subsequent movement of the apparatus.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
37 words
An apparatus as recited in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising tissue gripping means located on at least one of the distal end of said first handle and the distal end of said anvil jaw.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as recited in any one of the preceding claims additionally comprising a fastener cartridge adapted to receive a plurality of fasteners and removably mounted on the distal end of said first handle.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as recited in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fastener is a staple.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
155 words
A surgical fastening apparatus comprising: a first handle; a second handle pivotally mounted to said first handle; an anvil jaw linked to said second handle movable in response to a first actuation of said second handle, said first actuation closing said anvil jaw to contact the distal end of said first handle causing tissue to be gripped therebetween; a fastener cartridge communicating with said first handle, said fastener cartridge containing at least one fastener; fastener pushing means linked to said first and second handles comprising a fastener pusher adapted to contact said fastener during a third actuation of said second handle to thereby advance said fastener against said anvil jaw; camming means to permit a second actuation of said second handle during which said anvil jaw remains closed and said fastener pushing means is not actuated; and means for preventing incomplete actuation of the fastener pushing means during the third actuation of said second handle.