# US 2024/0188949 A1 · Surgical retractor having clamping mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0188949 A1 - Document ID: US20240188949A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/581,230 - Filed: 2024-02-19 - Published: 2024-06-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-10 - Assignees: Thompson Surgical Instruments, Inc. - Applicants: Thompson Surgical Instruments, Inc. - Inventors: Dan Farley; Josh Delickta; Christopher T. Martin; Travis Witulski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240188949A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/02: for holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors - F16B 2/18: using cams, levers, eccentrics, or toggles {(for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1418, F16B7/1427, F16B7/1454)} - A61B 90/57: Accessory clamps - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A clamp for a surgical retractor system. The clamp has a tapered conically shaped washer against and through which clamping force is applied to place the clamp in a clamped position. The clamping force is applied by a cam head connected to a central shaft. A locking pin connects the cam head to the shaft. Apertures are provided in the clamp for receiving rod ends of a surgical retractor. Such apertures are circular and are positioned to be closer to the top and bottom edges of the clamp portion of the clamp than to the end edge of the clamp portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A clamping apparatus, the clamping apparatus comprising: one or more clamps, each comprising a clamp top side, a clamp bottom side, and a passage configured to circumscribe a received elongated member, wherein the clamp top side of an uppermost clamp of the one or more clamps comprises an aperture with a tapered inner surface; a washer comprising a top surface and a lower surface that mates with the tapered inner surface of the aperture; a shaft comprising a shaft upper portion and a shaft lower portion, wherein the shaft extends through the washer, the aperture, and each clamp of the one or more clamps; a handle coupled to the shaft upper portion; and a lower device secured to the shaft lower portion, wherein the lower device permits adjusting a magnitude of a clamping force applied between the handle and the lower device when the handle is rotated to a clamping position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The clamping apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clamping force constricts each passage of the one or more clamps around a respectively received elongated member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The clamping apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the shaft lower portion comprises threads; and the lower device comprises threads that engage the threads of the shaft lower portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The clamping apparatus of claim 3, wherein: rotation of the lower device in a first direction reduces a distance between the lower device and the handle; and rotation of the lower device in a second direction opposite the first direction increases the distance between the lower device and the handle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The clamping apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower device is welded to the lower shaft portion to retain the clamping force at a desired magnitude. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The clamping apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the handle is coupled to shaft upper portion via a cam head; and an outer surface of the cam head applies the clamping force when the handle is rotated to the clamping position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The clamping apparatus of claim 6, wherein a flat surface of the outer surface of the cam head engages the washer when the handle is rotated to the clamping position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The clamping apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more clamps is rotatable about an axis of the shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The clamping apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the one or more clamps include a lowermost clamp; a bottom side of the lowermost clamp comprises an aperture with a tapered inner surface; and an upper surface of the lower device mates with the tapered inner surface of the aperture in the bottoms side of the lowermost clamp. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The clamping apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more clamps comprise teeth that engage teeth of an adjacent clamp. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The clamping apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the tapered inner surface of the aperture comprises a conical surface; and the washer comprises a conical surface that mates with the conical surface of the aperture. ### Claim 12 A clamping apparatus, the clamping apparatus comprising: an upper clamp comprising an upper clamp top side, an upper clamp bottom side, and an upper clamp passage, wherein the upper clamp top side comprises an upper clamp aperture with a tapered inner surface; a lower clamp comprising a lower clamp top side, a lower clamp bottom side, and a lower clamp passage; a washer comprising a top surface and a lower surface that mates with the tapered inner surface of the upper clamp aperture; a shaft comprising a shaft upper portion and a shaft lower portion, wherein the shaft extends through the washer, the upper clamp aperture, the upper clamp, and the lower clamp; a handle coupled to the shaft upper portion; and a lower device secured to the shaft lower portion; wherein the lower device permits adjusting a magnitude of a clamping force applied between the handle and the lower device when the handle is rotated to a clamping position; and wherein the clamping force constricts the upper clamp passage and the lower clamp passage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The clamping apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the shaft lower portion comprises threads; and the lower device comprises threads that engage the threads of the shaft lower portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The clamping apparatus of claim 13, wherein: rotation of the lower device in a first direction reduces a distance between the lower device and the handle; and rotation of the lower device in a second direction opposite the first direction increases the distance between the lower device and the handle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The clamping apparatus of claim 12, wherein the lower device is welded to the lower shaft portion to retain the clamping force at a desired magnitude. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The clamping apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the handle is coupled to shaft upper portion via a cam head; and an outer surface of the cam head applies the clamping force when the handle is rotated to the clamping position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The clamping apparatus of claim 16, wherein a flat surface of the outer surface of the cam head engages the washer when the handle is rotated to the clamping position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The clamping apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the upper clamp and the lower clamp are independently rotatable about an axis of the shaft when the handle is rotated away from the clamping position; and teeth of the upper clamp bottom side engage teeth of the lower clamp top side and prevent the upper clamp from rotating independently of the lower clamp when the handle is rotated to the clamping position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The clamping apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the lower clamp bottom side comprises a lower clamp aperture with a tapered inner surface; and an upper surface of the lower device mates with the tapered inner surface of the lower clamp aperture. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The clamping apparatus of claim 19, wherein: the tapered inner surface of the upper clamp aperture comprises a conical surface; a lower side of the washer comprises a conical surface that mates with the conical surface of the upper clamp aperture; the tapered inner surface of the lower clamp aperture comprises a conical surface; and a top side of the lower device comprises a conical surface that mates with the conical surface of the lower clamp aperture.