Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw for use with an endoscopic biopsy forceps instrument having a hollow member with a control member extending therethrough, actuating means coupled to the proximal ends of the hollow member and control member for reciprocally moving the control member through the hollow member, and a pair of forceps jaws at least one of said pair being said endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw, said endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw comprising: a) a distal jaw cup having an outer edge and an interior hollow portion, said outer edge being one of circular and oblate circular; and b) a proximal coupling means for coupling said distal jaw cup to at least one of the control member and the hollow member of the biopsy forceps instrument such that the pair of forceps jaws will open and close with the reciprocally moving control member, wherein said distal jaw cup has a plurality of teeth which extend substantially 360° around said distal jaw cup.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw for use with an endoscopic biopsy forceps instrument having a hollow member with a control member extending therethrough, actuating means coupled to the proximal ends of the hollow member and control member for reciprocally moving the control member through the hollow member, and a pair of forceps jaws at least one of said pair being said endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw, said endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw comprising: a) a distal jaw cup having an outer edge and an interior hollow portion, said outer edge being one of circular and oblate circular; and b) a proximal coupling means for coupling said distal jaw cup to at least one of the control member and the hollow member of the biopsy forceps instrument such that the pair of forceps jaws will open and close with the reciprocally moving control member, wherein said distal jaw cup has a plurality of teeth which extend substantially 360° around said distal jaw cup.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 1, wherein: at least some of said teeth are radially arranged along said distal jaw cup.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 2, wherein: said teeth include first teeth on a first side of said distal jaw cup, and second teeth on a second side of said distal jaw cup, said first teeth and said second teeth being offset by one half pitch relative to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 1, wherein: said outer edge has an outer lip, said teeth extending from said distal jaw cup from a location interior of said outer lip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 4, wherein: said outer lip is unsharpened.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 4, wherein: said outer lip is sharpened.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of teeth extend from said jaw cup, each tooth having a vertex which is located upward and inward from said outer edge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 7, wherein: each tooth has a substantially triangular inner surface with said vertex being a vertex of said substantially triangular inner surface and a surface which extends from said vertex outward and downward to said outer edge.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 7, wherein: said distal jaw cup has a plurality of tooth valleys interposed between said teeth, each tooth valley having a nadir which is located downward and inward from said outer edge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 9, wherein: each of said tooth valleys has two inclined surfaces which intersect along a line extending inward and downward from said outer edge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 9, wherein: each of said tooth valleys has three substantially triangular surfaces which intersect at a nadir point located inward and downward from said outer edge.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 7, wherein: each of said teeth has four substantially triangular surfaces.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 7, wherein: said teeth are radially arranged along said distal jaw cup.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 13, wherein: said teeth include first teeth on a first side of said distal jaw cup, and second teeth on a second side of said distal jaw cup, said first teeth and said second teeth being offset by one half pitch relative to each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 7, wherein: said jaw cup is substantially oblate hemispherical.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 15, wherein: said outer edge is substantially U-shaped.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 15, wherein: said outer edge is substantially oblate circular.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 7, wherein: said outer edge has an outer lip, said teeth extending from a location interior of said outer lip.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 18, wherein: said outer lip is unsharpened.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps jaw according to claim 18, wherein: said outer lip is sharpened.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
157 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps instrument, comprising: a) a hollow member having a proximal and a distal end; b) a control member having a proximal and a distal end and extending through said hollow member; c) actuating means coupled to said proximal ends of said hollow member and said control member for reciprocally moving said control member through said hollow member; and d) a pair of forceps jaws, wherein each of said forceps jaws has a distal jaw cup having an outer edge and an interior hollow portion, said outer edge being one of circular and oblate circular, a proximal coupling means for coupling said distal jaw cup to at least one of said control member and said hollow member such that the pair of forceps jaws will open and close in response to reciprocally moving said control member, and said distal jaw cup has a plurality of teeth which extend substantially 360° around said distal jaw cup.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
157 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps instrument, comprising: a) a hollow member having a proximal and a distal end; b) a control member having a proximal and a distal end and extending through said hollow member; c) actuating means coupled to said proximal ends of said hollow member and said control member for reciprocally moving said control member through said hollow member; and d) a pair of forceps jaws, wherein each of said forceps jaws has a distal jaw cup having an outer edge and an interior hollow portion, said outer edge being one of circular and oblate circular, a proximal coupling means for coupling said distal jaw cup to at least one of said control member and said hollow member such that the pair of forceps jaws will open and close in response to reciprocally moving said control member, and said distal jaw cup has a plurality of teeth which extend substantially 360° around said distal jaw cup.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
An endoscopic biopsy forceps instrument according to claim 21, wherein: at least some of said teeth are radially arranged along said distal jaw cup.