Medical adapter gripping tool
AssigneeThe Children’s Mercy Hospital
InventorDavid Keeler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A medical adapter gripping tool is operable to removably hold a catheter element and includes a pair of elongated tool levers. Each tool lever includes a longitudinally extending lever body and presents opposite lever ends. The tool levers are pivotally attached relative to one another at a pivot joint that permits the tool levers to swing relative to each other about a lateral pivot axis. The tool levers are relatively swingable into and out of a closed position to grip the catheter element.
Claims23
A medical adapter gripping tool operable to removably hold a catheter element, said medical adapter gripping tool comprising:
- a pair of elongated tool levers each including a longitudinally extending lever body and presenting opposite lever ends,
- said tool levers being pivotally attached relative to one another at a pivot joint that permits the tool levers to swing relative to each other about a lateral pivot axis, with the tool levers being relatively swingable into and out of a closed position to grip the catheter element,
- each of said tool levers defining a jaw located between the lever ends,
- said jaws being opposed and swingable toward and away from each other, with the jaws cooperatively engaging the catheter element in the closed position,
- a respective tool lever including a gripping element supported by and cooperating with the respective lever body to form a corresponding jaw, with the gripping element presenting an exposed gripping surface,
- said gripping element comprising a resilient gripping element material, with the gripping element operable to resiliently flex for conforming with part of the catheter element and restricting the gripping force applied by the jaws when the catheter element is held by the jaws in the closed position.
A medical adapter gripping tool operable to removably hold a catheter element, said medical adapter gripping tool comprising:
- a pair of elongated tool levers each including a longitudinally extending lever body and presenting opposite lever ends,
- said tool levers being pivotally attached relative to one another at a pivot joint that permits the tool levers to swing relative to each other about a lateral pivot axis, with the tool levers being relatively swingable into and out of a closed position to grip the catheter element,
- each of said tool levers defining a jaw located between the lever ends,
- said jaws being opposed and swingable toward and away from each other, with the jaws cooperatively engaging the catheter element in the closed position,
- at least one of said tool levers including proximal and distal lever sections and a resilient hinge that joins the lever sections and permits relative flexing between the lever sections about a lateral flexing axis to restrict the force applied by the jaws when the catheter element is held by the jaws in the closed position.
A method of removably gripping a catheter element with a medical adapter gripping tool, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) having the catheter element positioned between the jaws of pivotally-attached tool levers while the tool levers are opened;
- and
- (b) having the tool levers shifted relative to each other to close the jaws against the catheter element, with a gripping element of at least one jaw resiliently flexing to conform with part of the catheter element and restrict the gripping force applied by the jaws when the catheter element is held by the jaws in the closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.