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US 2002/0165564 A1Published application
Clamp having bendable shaft
AssigneeNovare Surgical Systems, Inc.
InventorsDavid J. Danitz, David E. Hegeman, Adam C. Gold
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamp has a handle assembly, a gripping assembly having a pair of jaws that can be opened and closed to grip an element, and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly has a flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is operatively coupled to the gripping assembly. The shaft assembly also has a rigid element that can be placed in a first position where the rigid element supports the shaft in a manner where the shaft cannot be bent, and in a second position where the shaft can be bent.
Claims49
A clamp, comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- a gripping assembly having a pair of jaws that can be opened and closed to grip an element;
- and
- a shaft assembly having:
- a flexible shaft having a proximal end that is coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is coupled to the gripping assembly, the flexible shaft defining a bore and comprising a plurality of alternating first beads and second beads, each of the first and second beads having an outer surface;
- wherein each of the second beads has a larger inner diameter than each of the first beads;
- wherein each of the second beads is supported on the outer surface of two adjacent first beads;
- and
- a cable which extends through the bore of the flexible shaft, the cable having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is operatively coupled to the gripping assembly.
6 more elements
A clamp comprising:
- a gripping assembly having a pair of jaws that can be opened and closed to grip an element;
- a handle assembly having a ratchet assembly that locks the pair of jaws in a closed position;
- and
- a shaft assembly having:
- a flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is operatively coupled to the gripping assembly;
- and
- a rigid element that can be placed in a first position where the rigid element supports the shaft in a manner where the shaft cannot be bent, and in a second position where the shaft can be bent.
4 more elements
A clamp comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- a gripping assembly having a pair of jaws that can be opened and closed to grip an element;
- a shaft assembly having:
- a flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is operatively coupled to the gripping assembly;
- and
- a rigid element that can be placed in a first position where the rigid element supports the shaft in a manner where the shaft cannot be bent, and in a second position where the shaft can be bent;
- and
- a lock assembly which locks the rigid element in the first position.
5 more elements
A clamp comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- a gripping assembly having a pair of jaws that can be opened and closed to grip an element;
- a shaft assembly having:
- a flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is operatively coupled to the gripping assembly;
- and
- a movable covering coaxial to the shaft that can be placed in a first position where the covering exposes a portion of the shaft, and in a second position where the covering covers most of the shaft, the covering having a distal end;
- and
- an alignment mechanism that aligns the distal end of the covering with the gripping assembly when the covering is in the second position.
5 more elements
A clamp comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- a gripping assembly having a pair of removable jaws that can be opened and closed to grip an element;
- and
- a shaft assembly having:
- a flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is operatively coupled to the gripping assembly;
- and
- a rigid element that can be placed in a first position where the rigid element supports the shaft in a manner where the shaft cannot be bent, and in a second position where the shaft can be bent.
4 more elements
A clamp comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- a gripping assembly having a pair of jaws that can be opened and closed to grip an element;
- a shaft assembly having:
- a flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is operatively coupled to the gripping assembly;
- a plurality of telescoping tubes that are coaxial to the shaft, wherein the telescoping tubes are placed in a first position where the telescoping tubes expose a portion of the shaft, and in a second position where the telescoping tubes cover most of the shaft;
- and
- means for locking each telescoping tube in a fixed position with respect to an adjacent telescoping tube.
4 more elements
A method of using a clamp during a surgical procedure, comprising:
- a. providing a clamp comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- a gripping assembly having a pair of jaws that can be opened and closed to grip an element;
- and
- a shaft assembly having:
- a flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that is operatively coupled to the gripping assembly;
- and
- a rigid element;
- b. positioning the rigid element in a first position where the rigid element supports the shaft in a manner where the shaft cannot be bent;
- c. introducing the jaws into a surgical site via an opening that has a size which is smaller than a surgeon's hand;
- and
- d. manipulating the jaws inside the surgical site solely by controlling the handle assembly that is positioned away from the surgical site.
9 more elements
A shaft for use with a clamp device, comprising:
- a plurality of alternating first beads and second beads, each of the first and second beads having an outer surface;
- wherein each of the second beads has a larger inner diameter than each of the first beads;
- and
- wherein each of the second beads is supported on the outer surface of two adjacent first beads.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.