US4043323A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Medical instrument attached to an endoscope
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1975-12-23
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Granted: 1977-08-23
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Expires: 1995-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A medical instrument such as forceps attached to an endoscope, wherein a base member is provided at the base end of the forceps; a slider connected by wire to a movable head fitted to the tip of the forceps is slidably mounted on a base member provided at the base end of the forceps; a bore formed in the slider contains a pawl, and a spring and stem both cooperating in urging the pawl for engagement with toothed portions formed on the base member; when the knob portion of the stem projecting outward from the bore is depressed, then the pawl is disengaged from the toothed portions and as the result, the knob portion is so actuated as to tilt the stem sideways for latching, thereby keeping the pawl in a disengaged position, and allowing the slider freely to slide over the base member.
Inventors
- 👤 Osamu Komiya
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 16:01
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B17/2909; A61B1/00; A61B1/012; A61B1/018; A61B17/22; A61B17/22031; A61B17/2812; A61B17/2833; A61B2017/2837; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
339 words
A medical instrument attached to an endoscope for insertion into a body cavity of a human being together with said endoscope, said instrument having a movable head attached to an elongate flexible tube; said movable head fitted to one end of said flexible tube; a base member disposed at the other end of the flexible tube and provided with a finger hook to be gripped by one of the fingers of an operator; an actuating wire inserted into the flexible tube so as to be slidable therethrough in the longitudinal direction and having its forward end operatively connected to the movable head, a slider fitted with the base end of the actuating wire, mounted on the base member so as to be slidable lengthwise of the base member, therby causing the sliding of said actuating wire and further provided with a finger-grip portion; and a manually operative locking mechanism for releasably locking the slider at a desired point on the base member, the improvement being that the locking mechanism includes a toothed portion formed on one lateral edge of the base member in the longitudinal direction thereof; locking means received in a bore formed in the slider so as to be movable therein in a direction transverse to said longitudinal direction, said locking means having a knob portion extending outward from the bore of the slider and being designed to engage the toothed portion of the base member; and urging means supported on the slider so as to normally urge the locking means into engagement with the toothed portion of the base member, said locking means being disengaged from the toothed portion by depressing the knob portion against the action of said urging means; said locking means also being tiltable through an angle in a direction away from said transverse direction and having latch means for latching said locking means in a depressed position in which said locking means has been disengaged from the toothed portion of the base member when said locking means is tilted through said angle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
339 words
A medical instrument attached to an endoscope for insertion into a body cavity of a human being together with said endoscope, said instrument having a movable head attached to an elongate flexible tube; said movable head fitted to one end of said flexible tube; a base member disposed at the other end of the flexible tube and provided with a finger hook to be gripped by one of the fingers of an operator; an actuating wire inserted into the flexible tube so as to be slidable therethrough in the longitudinal direction and having its forward end operatively connected to the movable head, a slider fitted with the base end of the actuating wire, mounted on the base member so as to be slidable lengthwise of the base member, therby causing the sliding of said actuating wire and further provided with a finger-grip portion; and a manually operative locking mechanism for releasably locking the slider at a desired point on the base member, the improvement being that the locking mechanism includes a toothed portion formed on one lateral edge of the base member in the longitudinal direction thereof; locking means received in a bore formed in the slider so as to be movable therein in a direction transverse to said longitudinal direction, said locking means having a knob portion extending outward from the bore of the slider and being designed to engage the toothed portion of the base member; and urging means supported on the slider so as to normally urge the locking means into engagement with the toothed portion of the base member, said locking means being disengaged from the toothed portion by depressing the knob portion against the action of said urging means; said locking means also being tiltable through an angle in a direction away from said transverse direction and having latch means for latching said locking means in a depressed position in which said locking means has been disengaged from the toothed portion of the base member when said locking means is tilted through said angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The medical instrument according to claim 1, which comprises another urging means for normally urging the locking means to be tightly latched by the latch means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
The medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said locking means is received in the bore of the slider to face the toothed portion of the base member for engagement therewith and includes a pawl normally urged toward the toothed portion for engagement therewith and a stem, one end of which abuts against the pawl, and the other end of which projects outward from the bore of the slider and terminates in said knob portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the latch means includes a shoulder formed integrally with the stem and a stepped portion formed on the inner wall of the bore of the slider to face the stepped portion for engagement therewith.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The medical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the stem is formed of plastics material and said latching means has a tongue formed integrally therewith, said tongue resiliently abutting against the inner wall of the bore of the slider to cause the shoulder of the stem to be tightly latched to the stepped portion of the slider.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The medical instrument according to claim 3, wherein removal-preventing means is provided between the slider and stem to prevent the stem from being thrown out of the bore of the slider.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-22 | 1981-02-21 | 1981-08-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-22 | 1985-02-21 | 1985-08-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-22 | 1989-02-21 | 1989-08-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |