# US 11,432,823 B2 · Ligating clip cartridge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,432,823 B2 - Document ID: US11432823B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/513,834 - Filed: 2019-07-17 - Published: 2021-01-21 - Granted: 2022-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-17 - Assignees: Grena USA LLC - Applicants: Grena USA LLC - Inventors: Wieslaw Mieczyslaw Brodaczewski; Andrzej Janusz Decewicz; Tomasz Przekopiński - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11432823B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/1222: {Packages or dispensers therefor (clip magazines incorporated in a clip-applying instrument A61B17/128; for surgical articles A61B50/30)} - A61B 2017/0053: {Loading magazines or sutures into applying tools} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A cartridge for ligating clips includes compartments formed of partitions lying in spaced parallel planes and a stringer spanning between the partitions. The legs of a clip are joined at a hinge which is seated over the stringer. The stringer comprises a substantially cylindrical body and a depending narrow support flange. Opposed faces of adjacent partitions include areas of reduced thickness spaced apart a distance sufficient to permit limited pivotal movement of the clip about the stringer. An abutment edge of the partition face provides a stop which is engaged by bosses at the ends of the clip legs to limit pivotal movement of the clip legs and prevent ribs of the clip from engaging the stringer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A polymeric ligating clip cartridge for at least one polymeric ligation clip having a pair of legs joined by a hinge, the cartridge including a base and at least one compartment, the at least one compartment comprising a pair of partition walls separated by a space and extending upwardly from the base, the cartridge further including a stringer spanning between the partition walls and across the space, the stringer being positioned above the base, the space being open between the stringer and the base, whereby the at least one polymeric ligation clip may be received within the at least one compartment and suspended from the stringer at the hinge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cartridge includes a plurality of compartments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 2, the partition walls having central face areas wherein the space is narrowest and lateral face areas, wherein the space is widest and wherein the legs of a polymeric ligation clip will be free to move, the partition walls including intermediate face areas between the central face areas and the lateral face areas and an abutment for restraining movement of the legs, the abutment being positioned at the juncture between the lateral face areas and the intermediate face areas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 3 further including a plurality of polymeric ligation clips, each having a pair of legs joined by a hinge, each leg having an inner face with a plurality of ribs or prongs, each polymeric ligation clip being received in a compartment with the hinge seated over the stringer, the ribs or prongs being so positioned and the stringer being so dimensioned as to avoid contact between the ribs or prongs and the stringer when the legs move within the widest space. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 3 wherein each leg includes a transverse boss, the legs being restrained by engagement between the abutment and the transverse boss. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 1 wherein the stringer comprises a substantially cylindrical body and a depending narrow support rib. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 1 the partition walls having central face areas, wherein the space is narrowest and lateral face areas, wherein the space is widest and wherein the legs of a polymeric ligation clip will be free to move. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 7 wherein the legs include inner faces having a plurality of ribs or prongs, the stringer being so dimensioned as to avoid contact with the ribs or prongs when the legs move within the widest. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 7 further including support flanges formed at a juncture of the base and the lateral face areas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 7 wherein the polymeric ligation clips include transverse bosses at or adjacent the end of each leg, the bosses being positioned within areas wherein the space between the opposed walls is widest. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 7 the partition walls including an abutment for restraining movement of the legs, the partition walls further including intermediate face areas between the central face areas and the lateral face areas, the abutment being positioned at a juncture between the lateral face areas and the intermediate face areas. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of packing or storing at least one polymeric ligation clip having a pair of legs joined by a hinge, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing the cartridge as set forth in claim 1; b) grasping the at least one polymeric ligation clip with an instrument; c) registering the at least one polymeric ligation clip with the compartment; d) placing the at least one polymeric ligation clip into the compartment; e) removing the instrument; f) placing a retainer over the at least one polymeric ligation clip; and g) securing the retainer over the at least one polymeric ligation clip. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of packing or storing at least one polymeric ligation clip in accordance with claim 12 wherein a plurality of polymeric ligation clips are provided, the cartridge includes a plurality of compartments, steps b) through e) are performed for each polymeric ligation clip and the retainer is placed over the plurality of polymeric ligation clips. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A method of packing or storing at least one polymeric ligation clip in accordance with claim 12 wherein the at least one polymeric ligation clip includes bosses at or adjacent the end of each leg and step b) is performed by grasping the bosses. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method of dispensing at least one polymeric ligation clip which has been packed or stored in accordance with steps a) through g) of claim 14, the method comprising the steps of h) removing the retainer; i) inserting the instrument into the at least one compartment; j) grasping the bosses with the instrument and; k) employing the instrument to remove the at least one polymeric ligation clip from the at least one compartment. ### Claim 16 A cartridge for polymeric ligation clips having a pair of legs joined by a hinge, the legs having inner faces with a plurality of ribs or prongs, the cartridge having at least one compartment, the compartment comprising a pair of spaced partition walls extending upwardly from a base, the cartridge further including a stringer spanning between the partition walls, the stringer being positioned above the base the stringer being configured to support the polymeric ligation clip at the hinge, the height of the stringer being less than the length of the legs, whereby engagement between the ribs or prongs and the stringer is avoided. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 16 wherein the stringer is keyhole shaped in transverse cross section. ### Claim 18 A cartridge for polymeric ligation clips having a pair of legs joined by a hinge, the legs having inner faces with a plurality of ribs or prongs, the cartridge having at least one compartment, the compartment comprising a pair of partitions extending along evenly spaced parallel planes, the cartridge further including a stringer spanning between the partitions, the stringer being configured to support the polymeric ligation clip at the hinge, the height of the stringer comprising no more than 20% of the length of the legs, whereby engagement between the ribs or prongs and the stringer is avoided. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 18 wherein the transverse cross section of the stringer is keyhole shaped. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The cartridge for polymeric ligation clips in accordance with claim 18 wherein the stringer comprises a substantially cylindrical body and a depending narrow support rib.