Surgical clip applier with parallel closure jaws
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Stokes, Gregory Scott, Disha Labhasetwar, John Brady
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An end effector for a surgical clip applier includes a housing, and jaws that extend past a distal end of the housing and include opposed first and second jaw members each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other. The first jaw member defines a first inner surface and the second jaw member defines a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface. An actuation mechanism is operatively coupled to the jaw members and operable to move the jaws between an open position and a closed position. The first and second inner surfaces remain substantially parallel to each other as the jaws move between the open and closed positions.
Claims20
An end effector for a surgical clip applier, comprising:
- a housing;
- jaws that extend past a distal end of the housing and include opposed first and second jaw members each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other, the first jaw member defining a first inner surface and the second jaw member defining a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface;
- and
- an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the jaw members to move the jaws between an open position and a closed position, wherein the first and second inner surfaces remain substantially parallel to each other as the jaws move between the open and closed positions.
A surgical clip applier, comprising:
- a drive housing;
- an elongate shaft that extends from the drive housing;
- and
- an end effector arranged at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector including:
- a housing;
- jaws that extend past a distal end of the housing and include opposed first and second jaw members each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other, the first jaw member defining a first inner surface and the second jaw member defining a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface;
- and
- an actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the jaw members to move the jaws between an open position and a closed position, wherein the first and second inner surfaces remain substantially parallel to each other as the jaws move between the open and closed positions.
A method of operating a surgical clip applier, comprising:
- positioning the surgical clip applier adjacent a patient for operation, the surgical clip applier including a drive housing, an elongate shaft that extends from the drive housing, and an end effector arranged at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector including:
- a housing;
- and
- jaws that extend past a distal end of the housing and include opposed first and second jaw members each comprising an independent structure movable relative to the other;
- actuating the surgical clip applier to move the first and second jaw members from an open position to a closed position, wherein the first jaw member provides a first inner surface and the second jaw member provides a second inner surface opposite the first inner surface;
- maintaining the first and second inner surfaces substantially parallel to each other as the first and second jaw members move to the closed position;
- and
- crimping a surgical clip disposed between the first and second jaw members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.