Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A fastening apparatus for use in endoscopic surgery comprising: a) a handle portion; b) a triggering mechanism positioned at least partially within the handle portion; and c) a fastener applicator connected to said handle portion, said fastener applicator comprising a shaping slide having a cooperating notch, wherein said notch has as its widest width a distance essentially equal to the width of the shaping slide, and anvil having a generally triangular cross-section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
A fastening apparatus for use in endoscopic surgery comprising: a) a handle portion; b) a triggering mechanism positioned at least partially within the handle portion; and c) a fastener applicator connected to said handle portion, said fastener applicator comprising a shaping slide having a cooperating notch, wherein said notch has as its widest width a distance essentially equal to the width of the shaping slide, and anvil having a generally triangular cross-section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cooperating notch is angled to closely receive said anvil.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The fastening apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anvil defines a single fastener-forming point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener applicator further comprises a plurality of fasteners.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener applicator is separable from said handle portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener applicator comprises a plurality of vertically stacked fasteners.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener applicator is formed of two cooperating half-shells.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener applicator defines a longitudinal storage channel and a longitudinal driving channel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said shaping slide alternately covers and uncovers an opening from the storage channel to the driving channel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener applicator further comprises a slide actuator operatively connected to said slide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said slide actuator is lockable by engagement of a pin that alternately engages and disengages said slide actuator in response to said pin's interaction with recesses in the handle portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener applicator further comprises a plurality of biased springs for positioning at least one fastener in response to a position of the shaping slide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein at least one of said biased springs is a fastener stop spring.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein at least one of said biased springs is an ejector spring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
A fastening apparatus for use in endoscopic surgery comprising: a) a handle portion, b) a triggering mechanism positioned at least partially within the handle portion; and c) a fastener applicator comprising an anvil having a substantially triangular cross-section, and a shaping slide with a cooperating notch that is angled to closely receive said anvil.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
A fastening apparatus for use in endoscopic surgery comprising: a) a handle portion, b) a triggering mechanism positioned at least partially within the handle portion; and c) a fastener applicator comprising an anvil having a substantially triangular cross-section, and a shaping slide with a cooperating notch that is angled to closely receive said anvil.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of fastening a surgical fastener in endoscopic surgery comprising the steps of: placing a fastener applicator in close proximity with a surgical site; retracting a slide within a driving channel of the fastener applicator, moving a surgical fastener from a storage channel within the fastener applicator to the driving channel by a surgical fastener positioning mechanism as the slide is retracted; advancing the slide until the slide engages the surgical fastener in the driving channel and drives the surgical fastener against an anvil to form the surgical fastener; forcing a stop mechanism, during advancement of the slide, back into a recess thereby allowing another surgical fastener to move forward in the storage channel in response to a force of a fastener pusher; retracting the slide; and ejecting the formed surgical fastener off of the anvil.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of fastening a surgical fastener in endoscopic surgery comprising the steps of: placing a fastener applicator in close proximity with a surgical site; retracting a slide within a driving channel of the fastener applicator, moving a surgical fastener from a storage channel within the fastener applicator to the driving channel by a surgical fastener positioning mechanism as the slide is retracted; advancing the slide until the slide engages the surgical fastener in the driving channel and drives the surgical fastener against an anvil to form the surgical fastener; forcing a stop mechanism, during advancement of the slide, back into a recess thereby allowing another surgical fastener to move forward in the storage channel in response to a force of a fastener pusher; retracting the slide; and ejecting the formed surgical fastener off of the anvil.