Clip applier and methods of use

An apparatus for placement into an opening formed in a wall of a body lumen to deliver a closure element having a plurality of tines, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing comprising a handle portion formed at a distal end, said handle portion comprising a shaped grasping portion and an elongate grasping portion;
• a locator assembly receivable by said housing, said locator assembly having a distal end region configured to extend into the opening and selectably contact the wall of the body lumen, said distal end of said locator assembly having a distal tip with one or more notches to assist in the deployment of said closure element over said distal end of said locator assembly and to guide the plurality of tines of the closure element distally to said distal end region of said locator assembly through said one or more notches in said distal tip, said notches being elongate and oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of said locator assembly, said notches extending from the distal end toward the proximal end;
• and
• a carrier assembly coupled with said locating assembly, said carrier assembly retaining the closure element in a substantially tubular configuration within said carrier assembly, said closure element being deployable from within a portion of said carrier assembly to close the opening formed in the wall of the body lumen.

An apparatus for placement into an opening formed in a wall of a body lumen to deploy a closure element having a plurality of tines, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing comprising a handle portion formed at a distal end, said handle portion configured to be engaged by a user when advancing said housing to deploy the closure element;
• a locator assembly receivable by said housing, said locator assembly having one or more expansion members configured to expand substantially transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of said locator assembly to selectably contact the wall of the body lumen and a proximal end configured to cooperate with a portion of a locator control system operable to expand said one or more expansion members;
• a distal end of a locator assembly including a distal tip and a distal ring having one or more notches to assist in the deployment of said closure element over said distal end of said locator assembly and to guide the plurality of tines of the closure element distally to said distal end region of said locator assembly through said one or more notches in said distal tip, said notches being elongate and oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of said locator assembly, said notches extending from the distal end toward the proximal end and extending partially through said distal ring toward a longitudinal axis of the locator assembly;
• a carrier assembly coupled with said locating assembly, said carrier assembly retaining a closure element in a substantially tubular configuration within said carrier assembly, said closure element being deployable from within a portion of said carrier assembly to close the opening formed in the wall of the body lumen;
• and
• a triggering system cooperating with said locator assembly, said triggering system moveable toward said one or more expansion members of said locator assembly upon said locator control system being operated to expand said one or more expansion members.

An apparatus for placement into an opening formed in a wall of a body lumen to deploy a closure element having a plurality of tines, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing comprising a handle portion formed at a distal end, said handle portion configured to be engaged by a user when advancing said housing to deploy the closure element;
• a locator assembly receivable by said housing, said locator assembly having one or more expansion members configured to expand substantially transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis of said locator assembly to selectably contact the wall of the body lumen and a proximal end configured to cooperate with a portion of a locator control system operable to expand said one or more expansion members;
• a distal end of a locator assembly having a distal tip and a distal ring with a chamfered proximal edge and one or more notches to assist in the deployment of said closure element over said distal end of said locator assembly and to guide the plurality of tines of the closure element distally to said distal end region of said locator assembly through said one or more notches in said distal tip, said notches extending from the distal end toward the proximal end and extending partially through said distal ring toward a longitudinal axis of the locator assembly;
• a carrier assembly coupled with said locating assembly, said carrier assembly retaining a closure element in a substantially tubular configuration within said carrier assembly, said closure element being deployable from within a portion of said carrier assembly to close the opening formed in the wall of the body lumen;
• and
• a triggering system cooperating with said locator assembly, said triggering system moveable toward said one or more expansion members of said locator assembly upon said locator control system being operated to expand said one or more expansion members.