US 2006/0217749 A1Published application

Reduced closure force ligating clip

AssigneePilling Weck Incorporated

InventorsDonald Wilson, Steven Owens

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Abstract

A polymeric, surgical clip having first and second curved legs with each having a pair of opposing side surfaces joined at their proximal ends by a flexible hinge section and movable from an open position to a closed position for clamping a vessel between curved opposing inner surfaces. The first leg terminates at its distal end in a female locking member, and the second leg member terminates in a male locking member complimentary to the female locking member such that when the first and second leg members are moved from an open position to a closed position about the hinge section the male member is lockingly engaged in the female locking member. The clip has a détente positioned on the outer surface of the first leg between the hinge section and the female locking member which serves to urge the first leg to straighten during closure of the clip to reduce the force required to close the surgical clip.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A surgical clip with an integral cutting guide, comprising:

(a) a first leg and a second leg, each of said legs having an inner vessel-clamping surface, an outer surface and a pair of opposing side surfaces flanking said inner and outer surfaces, said inner surfaces being positioned in opposition to each other;
(b) a flexible hinge section integrally disposed between and joining the proximal ends of said first and second legs;
(c) a female locking member positioned on the distal end of said first leg and a male locking member positioned on the distal end of said second leg, said female and male locking members being formed whereby when said first and second leg members are moved from an open position to a closed position about said hinge section, said male locking member is lockingly engaged in said female locking member so as to removably lock said first and second leg members of said surgical clip in said closed position;
and
(d) a détente located on said outer surface of said first leg and projecting outwardly therefrom, said détente being positioned on said outer surface of said first leg at a location between said flexible hinge and said female locking member;
whereby said détente serves to urge said first leg to straighten during closure of said surgical clip and consequently to facilitate closure and locking of said surgical clip by a clip applier.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.