Bipolar scissor vessel sealer force limiting mechanism
AssigneeConmed Corporation
InventorAaron Szabo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scissor style vessel sealer having a first shaft interconnected to a first jaw by a pivot plate that pivotally couples the first shaft to the first jaw by the pivot and also by a spring that is secured at one end to the first shaft and an opposing end to the pivot plate at a location offset from the pivot and a second shaft connected to a second jaw and pivotally coupled to the first jaw by the pivot. The first shaft and the second shaft are then pivotable from a jaws open position to a jaw closed position. Any further application of force results in the first shaft pivoting relative to the first jaw so that the additional force is not transmitted to the jaws. The first shaft pivoting relative to the first jaw may actuate a button associated with the second shaft.
Claims20
A scissor style vessel sealer, comprising:
- a first shaft interconnected to a first jaw by a pivot plate, where the pivot plate is pivotally coupled to the first shaft and to the first jaw by a pivot and is also coupled to the first shaft by a spring that is secured at one end to the first shaft and at an opposing end to the pivot plate at a location offset from the pivot;
- and
- a second shaft connected to a second jaw and pivotally coupled to the first jaw by the pivot of the pivot plate.
A scissor style vessel sealer, comprising:
- a first shaft interconnected to a first jaw by a pivot;
- a second shaft connected to a second jaw and pivotally coupled to the first jaw by the pivot;
- wherein the first shaft is free to pivot relative to the first jaw about the pivot in response a predetermined amount of force applied to the first shaft.
A method of providing force limiting to a scissor style vessel sealer, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first shaft interconnected to a first jaw by a pivot plate that pivotally couples the first shaft to the first jaw by a pivot connecting the first jaw to the pivot plate and also by a spring that is secured at one end to the first shaft and an opposing end to the pivot plate at a location offset from the pivot;
- and
- providing a second shaft connected to a second jaw and pivotally coupled to the first jaw by the pivot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.