Bend clip for flexible rotator
AssigneeSulzer Carbomedics Inc.
InventorsTammi E. Klostermeyer, Christopher Heinrich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pusher-rotator for installing a heart valve prosthesis including a handle and a flexible shaft extending from the handle. A valve holder is attached to a terminal end of the shaft. A bendable member is formed of a material which is bendable to hold a fixed shape. The bendable member includes multiple contact points for supporting the flexible shaft at spaced apart support points and maintaining the flexible shaft rotatable in a flexed orientation.
Claims25
A bend clip for a flexible pusher-rotator comprising:
- a bendable member including a first end and a second end, the bendable member being formed of a material which is bendable to hold a fixed bent shape;
- and
- the bendable member including multiple contact points for supporting a flexible shaft at spaced apart support points and maintaining the flexible shaft rotatable in a flexed orientation.
A pusher-rotator for installing a heart valve prosthesis comprising:
- a handle;
- a flexible shaft extending from the handle;
- a valve holder attached to a terminal end of the shaft;
- a bendable member mounted on the shaft, the bendable member including a first end and a second end and being formed of a material which is bendable to hold a fixed bent shape;
- and
- the bendable member including multiple contact points for supporting the flexible shaft at spaced apart support points and maintaining the flexible shaft rotatable in a flexed orientation.
A method of maintaining a flexible pusher-rotator shaft in a flexed orientation comprising the steps of:
- forming a bendable member of a material which is bendable to hold a fixed shape;
- forming multiple spaced apart support points on the bendable member;
- mounting the bendable member on a flexible shaft so that the bendable member supports the flexible shaft at the spaced apart support points along the shaft;
- and
- maintaining the shaft in a rotatable flexed orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.