One-hand locking and releasing handheld medical instrument

A locking and releasing apparatus for operating a medical device comprising:

• a handle;
• a lever member mounted on the handle for grasping engagement by an operator, the lever member being moveable in opposite first and second directions relative to the handle over a predetermined range of motion;
• a locking mechanism operably connecting the lever member to a force transmitting member for operating the medical device at a location distant from the handle;
• and
• a release mechanism operably connected to the lever member;
• wherein, the locking mechanism locks movement of the force transmitting member at a locking position located over at least part of the range of motion of the lever member after movement of the lever member in the first direction, and wherein changing the direction of movement of the lever member from the first direction where the lever member is at the locking position causes the release mechanism to release movement of the force transmitting member.

A one hand locking and releasing apparatus for operating a medical device comprising:

• a handle;
• a finger loop mounted on the handle for receiving a finger of an operator;
• first and second lever members mounted on the handle for grasping engagement by other fingers of the operator, at least one of the lever members being mounted on the handle for movement in first and second directions relative to the finger loop;
• and
• a locking and release mechanism operably connecting at least one of the first and second lever members to a force transmitting member for operating the medical device at a location distant from the handle;
• wherein, the locking and release mechanism is actuated for locking movement of the force transmitting member by movement of the at least one of the lever members in the first direction, wherein the locking and release mechanism is actuated for releasing movement of the force transmitting member by movement of the at least one of the lever members in the second direction, the at least one of the lever members actuating the locking and release mechanism for releasing movement substantially upon changing direction of movement of the at least one of the lever members from the first direction to the second direction, and wherein, in the course of operating the medical device, the operator can reposition his fingers between the first and second lever members with rotation of the finger within the finger loop.