Absorbable rivet/pin applier for use in surgical procedures
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsJohn McAllen, III, David W. Overaker, Kevin L. Cooper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention describes a rivet applier delivering orthopedic fasteners into a patient. The rivet applier inserts the rivet body then drives a pin into the rivet body to fix the rivet in position. The rivet applier contains a hammer, hammer spring, firing pin and receiver to deploy rivets. The hammer of the rivet applier is attached to loading grips. The loading grips cock the hammer. A rivet is inserted into the receiver. Upon releasing the hammer, the hammer drives the firing pin and the firing pin inserts the rivet pin into the rivet.
Claims13
A rivet applier comprising a body having a central axis, a proximal end and a distal end,
- adjacent to the proximal end of the body aligned along the central axis is a hammer chamber that contains a hammer slidably mounted in said hammer chamber, the hammer is biased by a hammer spring toward the distal end of the rivet applier and mechanically linked to a loading grip by an opening extending through the body for moving the hammer from a first position to a second position,
- at the distal end of the applier is a receiver for retaining rivets, the receiver is in mechanical communications with a firing pin slidably mounted within the body by a passage that is aligned substantially along the central axis of the body and connected to the hammer chamber,
- wherein the hammer when moved from the first position to the second position contacts the firing pin which in turn is driven into the receiver,
- wherein the firing pin comprises a head and extending therefrom a striker pin, and
- wherein the firing pin has extending therefrom, substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the firing pin, at least one firing guide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.