Radial jaw biopsy forceps
AssigneeSymbiosis Corporation
InventorsThomas O. Bales, Charles R. Slater, Kevin W. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A biological forceps device for the taking of tissue samples from a body, comprising a flexible main coil attached at its distal end to a pair of homologous cast jaws. The jaws have radially arranged teeth on their distalmost end. The jaws are opened and closed by attachment to a pair of pull wires which extend through the main coil, into a handle at its proximal end. the handle has a spool which slides about a central shaft attached to the main coil. The spool is attached to the pull wires, so that movement of the spool with respect to the central shaft, effectuates a force on the proximal ends of the levered jaws, to open and close them, appropriately.
Claims15
A biopsy forceps device having a proximal end and a distal end, the device comprising:
- an end effector assembly at the distal end of the device, wherein the end effector assembly includes a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw being pivotally disposed relative to the second jaw, the first jaw having a first array of teeth, the second jaw having a second array of teeth;
- an actuator at the proximal end of the device;
- and
- a hollow portion connecting the end effector assembly and the actuator, wherein the actuator operates to pivot the first jaw relative to the second jaw and move the first and second jaw so that the first array of teeth engages the second array of teeth along an edge,
- wherein the edge of each of the jaws includes a first straight portion, a second straight portion on an opposite side of the jaw, and a third distalmost portion connecting the first straight portion to the second straight portion, the third distalmost portion having a curved configuration.
An end effector assembly for use in a biopsy forceps device including an actuator at a proximal end of the device and a hollow portion connecting the actuator to the end effector assembly, the end effector assembly comprising:
- a first jaw;
- and
- a second jaw for mating with the first jaw, wherein the first jaw is pivotably disposed with respect to the second jaw about a pivotal axis, and each of the first and second jaws includes a distalmost portion having a generally curved configuration, and wherein a curved edge of the distalmost portion of each of the jaws includes teeth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.