Surgical clip applier

Claim 2

A surgical instrument for accomplishing a surgical procedure, comprising: an elongated body; at least a first and second movable members movably supported by said body; means on said body responsive to an applied force and operably connected to said first and second movable members for causing relative movement therebetween to accomplish the procedure; said first and second movable members are selectively urged to move in opposite directions by said means for causing relative movement; said means for causing relative movement further comprises: a rotatably mounted member operably connected to said first and second movable members, said rotatably mounted member transmitting a movement of one of said first and second movable members into an opposed movement of the other of said first and second movable members; said rotatably mounted member comprises: at least one gear member; a first rack operably connected to said first movable member and said at least one gear member; a second rack operably connected to said second movable member and said at least one gear member; said racks disposed on opposed sides of said at least one gear member for creating said opposed movement; said at least one gear member further comprises: at least a first and second gear, mounted concentrically adjacent each other and operably connected to said first and second racks; and said body for accommodating a variety of size ratios between said first and second gears to selectively create differing amounts of opposed movement responsive to an applied force.

Claim 3

A surgical instrument for accomplishing a surgical procedure, comprising: an elongated body; at least a first and second movable members movably supported by said body; means on said body responsive to an applied force and operably connected to said first and second movable members for causing relative movement therebetween to accomplish the procedure; said first and second movable members are selectively urged to move in opposite directions by said means for causing relative movement; said means for causing relative movement further comprises: a rotatably mounted member operably connected to said first and second movable members, said rotatably mounted member transmitting a movement of one of said first and second movable members into an opposed movement of the other of said first and second movable members; said rotatably mounted member comprises: at least one gear member; a first rack operably connected to said first movable member and said at least one gear member; a second rack operably connected to said second movable member and said at least one gear member; said racks disposed on opposed sides of said at least one gear member for creating said opposed movement; said first member comprises a closure member; said second member comprises a clip feeder; said body contains at least one clip; a jaw for forming said clip; whereupon a force input to said body said closure member advances over at least a portion of said jaw causing said jaw to close to form said clip and said feeder retracts away from said jaw by virtue of rotation of said gear member, said first rack is movable at least in part independently of said closure member; a latch mechanism on said first rack to force it to selectively hold its position while said closure member moves in a direction allowing said jaw to open; and a release mechanism on said closure member operably connected to said latch mechanism to defeat said latch mechanism, allowing said feeder to advance.

Claim 4

A surgical instrument for accomplishing a surgical procedure, comprising: an elongated body; at least a first and second movable members movably supported by said body; means on said body responsive to an applied force and operably connected to said first and second movable members for causing relative movement therebetween to accomplish the procedure; said first and second movable members are selectively urged to move in opposite directions by said means for causing relative movement; said means for causing relative movement further comprises: a rotatably mounted member operably connected to said first and second movable members, said rotatably mounted member transmitting a movement of one of said first and second movable members into an opposed movement of the other of said first and second movable members; said rotatably mounted member comprises: at least one gear member; a first rack operably connected to said first movable member and said at least one gear member; a second rack operably connected to said second movable member and said at least one gear member; said racks disposed on opposed sides of said at least one gear member for creating said opposed movement; said first member comprises a closure member; said second member comprises a clip feeder; said body contains at least one clip; a jaw for forming said clip; whereupon a force input to said body said closure member advances over at least a portion of said jaw causing said jaw to close to form said clip and said feeder retracts away from said jaw by virtue of rotation of said gear member, said first rack is movable at least in part independently of said closure member; a latch mechanism on said first rack to force it to selectively hold its position while said closure member moves in a direction allowing said jaw to open; and a release mechanism on said closure member operably connected to said latch mechanism to defeat said latch mechanism, allowing said feeder to advance.

Claim 5

The instrument of claim 2 wherein: said body contains a plurality of clips arranged in line; said latch mechanism for holding said at least one gear member and said clip feeder still until said release mechanism which comprises a tab defeats said latch mechanism after initial retraction of said closure member from said jaw; biasing means connected to said first rack operable to accelerate said first rack upon action of said tab, to in turn spin said gear member and advance said second rack and said clip feeder to feed the next clip in line only after said jaws have opened sufficiently to accept it.

Claim 6

A surgical instrument assembly comprising: an actuating member formed to be grasped and operated by hand; an instrument having a body; said actuating member having a housing which accepts an end of said instrument body; securing means on said body and said housing for selective engagement of said body and said housing to prevent accidental disconnection during a surgical procedure, further comprising; an extending member on said housing; a receiving member on said body; said housing further comprises a locking member that selectively traps said extending member to said receiving member; said extending member comprises at least one pin; said receiving member comprises at least one slot; said locking member comprises a slide which selectively extends into said slot to secure said pin to said slot; and biasing means to selectively move said slide.

Claim 7

A surgical instrument assembly comprising: an actuating member formed to be grasped and operated by hand; an instrument having a body; said actuating member having a housing which accepts an end of said instrument body; securing means on said body and said housing for selective engagement of said body and said housing to prevent accidental disconnection during a surgical procedure, further comprising; an extending member on said housing; a receiving member on said body; said housing further comprises a locking member that selectively traps said extending member to said receiving member; said extending member comprises at least one pin; said receiving member comprises at least one slot; said locking member comprises a slide which selectively extends into said slot to secure said pin to said slot; and biasing means to selectively move said slide.

Claim 8

The assembly of claim 4 wherein: said slot comprises an opening to accept said pin; said slide is circumferentially offset from said pin; whereupon insertion of said opening over said pin displaces said slide and compresses said biasing means; whereupon rotation of said body advances said pin further into said slot and presents said opening in alignment with said slide to allow said slide to be biased into said opening to secure the connection.

Claim 9

The instrument of claim 5 wherein: said housing comprises a sliding cuff to selectively remove said slide from said opening to facilitate disconnection of said actuating member from said instrument.

Claim 10

A surgical instrument assembly, comprising: an actuating member formed to be grasped and operated by hand; an instrument having a body; said actuating member having a housing which accepts an end of said instrument body; said actuating member creates a force acting on said instrument body; said instrument body further comprises: at least a first and second movable members; said force applied by said actuating member to at least one of said first and second members; means on said body responsive to said applied force and operably connected to said first and second movable members for causing relative movement therebetween to accomplish a procedure using said instrument; said first and second movable members are selectively urged to move in opposite directions by said means for causing relative movement; said means for causing relative movement further comprises: a rotatably mounted member operably connected to said first and second movable members, said rotatably mounted member transmitting a movement of one of said first and second movable members into an opposed movement of the other of said first and second movable members; said rotatably mounted member comprises: at least one gear member; a first rack operably connected to said first movable member and said at least one gear member; a second rack operably connected to said second movable member and said at least one gear member; said racks disposed on opposed sides of said at least one gear member for creating said opposed movement; said gear member further comprises: at least a first and second gear, mounted concentrically adjacent each other and operably connected to said first and second racks; and said body for accommodating a variety of size ratios between said first and second gears to selectively create differing amounts of opposed movement responsive to an applied force.

Claim 11

A surgical instrument assembly, comprising: an actuating member formed to be grasped and operated by hand; an instrument having a body; said actuating member having a housing which accepts an end of said instrument body; said actuating member creates a force acting on said instrument body; said instrument body further comprises: at least a first and second movable members; said force applied by said actuating member to at least one of said first and second members; means on said body responsive to said applied force and operably connected to said first and second movable members for causing relative movement therebetween to accomplish a procedure using said instrument; said first and second movable members are selectively urged to move in opposite directions by said means for causing relative movement; said means for causing relative movement further comprises: a rotatably mounted member operably connected to said first and second movable members, said rotatably mounted member transmitting a movement of one of said first and second movable members into an opposed movement of the other of said first and second movable members; said rotatably mounted member comprises: at least one gear member; a first rack operably connected to said first movable member and said at least one gear member; a second rack operably connected to said second movable member and said at least one gear member; said racks disposed on opposed sides of said at least one gear member for creating said opposed movement; said gear member further comprises: at least a first and second gear, mounted concentrically adjacent each other and operably connected to said first and second racks; and said body for accommodating a variety of size ratios between said first and second gears to selectively create differing amounts of opposed movement responsive to an applied force.

Claim 12

The instrument of claim 7 wherein: said first member comprises a closure member; said second member comprises a clip feeder; said body contains at least one clip; and a jaw for forming said clip; whereupon a force input to said body said closure member advances over at least a portion of said jaw causing said jaw to close to form said clip and said feeder retracts away from said jaw by virtue of rotation of said gear member.

Claim 13

The instrument of claim 8 wherein: said first rack is movable at least in part independently of said closure member; said first rack further comprises a latch mechanism for forcing said first rack to selectively hold its position while said closure member moves in a direction allowing said jaw to open; and a release mechanism on said closure member operably connected to said latch mechanism to defeat said latch mechanism allowing said clip feeder to advance.

Claim 14

The instrument of claim 9 wherein: said body contains a plurality of clips arranged in line; said latch mechanism for holding said gear member and said clip feeder still until said release mechanism which comprises a tab defeats said latch mechanism after initial retraction of said closure member from said jaw; biasing means connected to said first rack operable to accelerate said first rack upon action of said tab, to in turn spin said gear member and advance said second rack and said clip feeder to feed the next clip in line only after said jaws have opened sufficiently to accept it.

Claim 15

A surgical instrument assembly comprising: an actuating member formed to be grasped and operated by hand; an instrument having a body; said actuating member having a housing which accepts an end of said instrument body; securing means on said body and said housing for selective engagement of said body and said housing to prevent accidental disconnection during a surgical procedure, further comprising; a first extending member on said housing; a receiving member on said body; said housing further comprises a locking member that selectively traps said first extending member to said receiving member; said body contains at least one removably mounted extension segment having a second extending member; said extension segment connectable to said body at one end thereof to form a joint by virtue of interaction between said second extending member mating with said receiving member and said locking member on said body to selectively trap said second extending member in said receiving member on said body to form said joint.

Claim 16

A surgical instrument assembly comprising: an actuating member formed to be grasped and operated by hand; an instrument having a body; said actuating member having a housing which accepts an end of said instrument body; securing means on said body and said housing for selective engagement of said body and said housing to prevent accidental disconnection during a surgical procedure, further comprising; a first extending member on said housing; a receiving member on said body; said housing further comprises a locking member that selectively traps said first extending member to said receiving member; said body contains at least one removably mounted extension segment having a second extending member; said extension segment connectable to said body at one end thereof to form a joint by virtue of interaction between said second extending member mating with said receiving member and said locking member on said body to selectively trap said second extending member in said receiving member on said body to form said joint.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: said housing comprises an actuating rod responsive to hand operation of said actuating member; said actuating rod extending into said extension segment; said extension segment comprising an extension rod in alignment with said actuating rod to transfer motion of said actuating rod to said body for operation of said instrument.