US6605077B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Snap handle assembly for an endoscopic instrument
Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed Inc
•
Filing: 2001-07-06
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Granted: 2003-08-12
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Expires: 2021-07-06
Abstract
Abstract An endoscopic instrument having an end effector assembly at a distal end, a flexible member connected to and extending from the end effector assembly and a handle assembly connected to the flexible member. The handle assembly includes a handle member, a nose member and a biasing element. The handle member has an inner bore. The hollow nose member has a shank configured for insertion into the inner bore. The biasing element is located within the inner bore and biases the flexible member relative to the handle member. The handle member may have a keyway or a projection configured for insertion into a keyway, and the nose member may have the other of the keyway or the projection. The flexible member has a retaining element affixed to its proximal end. The flexible member is inserted through the nose member with the retaining element located proximate the proximal end of the nose member and thereby retained between the handle member and the nose member. Relative axial movement between the handle member and the flexible member is minimized.
Inventors
- 👤 John Whittier
- 👤 Peter K. Kratsch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 04:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/06; A61B17/00; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/00477
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A conduit and handle assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the assembly comprising: a flexible hollow conduit, having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction; a handle member having an inner bore; a hollow nose member having a shank configured for insertion into the inner bore of the handle member and for receiving the flexible hollow conduit; and a resilient biasing element within the inner bore of the handle member, the biasing element being stationary relative to the flexible hollow conduit and configured for biasing the flexible hollow conduit in the longitudinal direction relative to the handle member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
99 words
A conduit and handle assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the assembly comprising: a flexible hollow conduit, having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction; a handle member having an inner bore; a hollow nose member having a shank configured for insertion into the inner bore of the handle member and for receiving the flexible hollow conduit; and a resilient biasing element within the inner bore of the handle member, the biasing element being stationary relative to the flexible hollow conduit and configured for biasing the flexible hollow conduit in the longitudinal direction relative to the handle member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a retaining element affixed to a proximal end of the flexible hollow conduit and configured for retention between the handle member and the nose member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the retaining element is a crimp band crimped onto the flexible hollow conduit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the retaining element is integrally formed from the flexible hollow conduit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle member includes one of a keyway or a projection configured for insertion into a keyway and the nose member includes the other of the keyway or the projection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the handle member includes the keyway and the nose member includes the projection configured for insertion into the keyway.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the projection has a tooth proximate a free end of the projection, and the keyway has a notch for engaging the tooth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element is an integrally formed portion of the nose member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the biasing element is compressible.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the biasing element is located on the shank.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the biasing element includes a leaf spring.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the biasing element includes a plurality of rings and a plurality of offset supports integrally molded into the shank, the rings stacked with the offset supports therebetween, and the rings capable of out-of-plane bending.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element is formed as an element separate from the nose member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the biasing element is a helical compression ring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the biasing element is an elastomeric ring.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the biasing element is located between the retaining element and the nose member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element is an integrally formed portion of the flexible hollow conduit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nose member includes a strain relief element extending distally from a distal end of the nose member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the strain relief element is integrally molded to the nose member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
138 words
An endoscopic instrument having a proximal end and a distal end, the endoscopic instument comprising: an end effector assembly at the distal end of the endoscopic instrument; a hollow flexible member, having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction, connected to and extending from the end effector assembly; and a handle assembly including a handle member having an inner bore, a hollow nose member having a shank configured for insertion into the inner bore of the handle member, and a resilient biasing element within the inner bore of the handle member, the resilient biasing element being stationary relative to the hollow flexible member and configured for biasing the hollow flexible member in the longitudinal direction relative to the handle member, wherein the hollow flexible member is inserted into the hollow nose member and connected to the handle assembly.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
138 words
An endoscopic instrument having a proximal end and a distal end, the endoscopic instument comprising: an end effector assembly at the distal end of the endoscopic instrument; a hollow flexible member, having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction, connected to and extending from the end effector assembly; and a handle assembly including a handle member having an inner bore, a hollow nose member having a shank configured for insertion into the inner bore of the handle member, and a resilient biasing element within the inner bore of the handle member, the resilient biasing element being stationary relative to the hollow flexible member and configured for biasing the hollow flexible member in the longitudinal direction relative to the handle member, wherein the hollow flexible member is inserted into the hollow nose member and connected to the handle assembly.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 20 , wherein the handle member further includes one of a keyway or a projection configured for insertion into a keyway, and the nose member further includes the other of the keyway or the projection.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 21 , wherein the projection is resilient.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 21 , wherein the projection has a tooth proximate a free end of the projection, and the keyway has a notch for engaging the tooth.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
74 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 21 , wherein a proximal end of the flexible member is coupled to the handle assembly by inserting the flexible member through the biasing element and through the hollow nose member thereby locating the biasing element between the nose member and the retaining element, inserting the hollow nose member, biasing element and retaining element into the inner bore of the handle member, and inserting the projection into the keyway.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 20 , wherein the flexible member has a retaining element affixed to an end portion opposite the end effector assembly, the retaining element configured for retention between the handle member and the nose member.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 25 , wherein the retaining element is a crimp band crimped onto the flexible member.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 20 , wherein the biasing element is an integrally formed portion of the nose member.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 27 , wherein the biasing element is compressible.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 28 , wherein the biasing element is located on the shank.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 29 , wherein the biasing element includes a leaf spring.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
42 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 29 , wherein the biasing element includes a plurality of rings and a plurality of offset supports integrally molded into the shank, the rings stacked with the offset supports therebetween and the rings capable of out-of-plane bending.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 20 , wherein the biasing element is formed as an element separate from the nose member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 32 , wherein the biasing element is a helical compression spring.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 32 , wherein the biasing element is an elastomeric ring.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 32 , wherein the biasing element is located between the retaining element and the nose member.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 20 , wherein the biasing element is an integrally formed portion of the flexible member.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
61 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 20 , wherein the end effector assembly has a manipulable jaw; a control member is connected to and extends from the manipulable jaw and through the flexible member; and the handle assembly includes an actuator assembly connected to the control member, wherein actuation of the actuator assembly causes the control member to actuate the manipulable jaw.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
29 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 20 , wherein the shank is provided with a slot extending distally from the proximal end of the shank, thereby forming two resilient arms.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
33 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 38 , wherein the flexible member has a proximal end with a retaining element affixed thereon, the retaining element configured for retention between the arms of the shank.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
26 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 20 , wherein the nose member includes a strain relief element extending distally from a distal end of the nose member.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
The endoscopic instrument of claim 40 , wherein the strain relief element is integrally molded to the nose member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-08-11 | 2007-02-10 | 2007-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-11 | 2011-02-10 | 2011-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-11 | 2015-02-10 | 2015-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |