Endoscopic nippers

Details Endoscopic nippers Endoscopic nippers

1999-11-10

2001-06-12

Recla, Henry J. (Department: 3731)

Surgery

Instruments

Cutting, puncturing or piercing

C606S205000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06245085

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to nippers having a proximal end body to which the proximal end zone of a tube constituting the nippers shank is detachably fixed in an axially stationary manner while being rotatable about its axis, and a grip solidly joined to the end body and a second grip supported on said first grip and fitted with a swivel seat along the axis of the tube and, at the proximal side of the end piece, a nipper head supporting nipper arms and rotatably, detachably connected in axially geometrically interlocking manner to the distal end of the tube and a rod which is axially displaceably, but non-rotatably, mounted to the nipper head, driving the nipper arms and passing through the tube and being detachably supported at its distal end in the swivel seat and with an axially freely running rotary coupling means between the rod and the tube.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such nippers are used in endoscopic surgery, in particular in laparoscopy. The nippers shank formed by the tube is of substantial length, for instance 40 cm. Its outside diameter illustratively must be 4 mm in order to be insertable through corresponding endoscopic inlets into the patient. The rod used to drive the nippers must be of high mechanical strength in order to transmit high forces, including the tube which must be of a suitable wall thickness, ensuring that there can only be space inside the tube for the rod.
The nippers head bearing the nipper arms and the tube of such nippers should be freely rotatable relative to the grip, which typically is scissors-like, in order to allow seizure at arbitrary angular positions.
When the nipper arms are appropriately shaped, the nippers also may act as scissors.
The most significant feature of the nippers of this general type is disassembly into three parts. Following appropriate unlocking, the nippers head together with the rod, the tube together with is proximal fasteners and the terminal body with the grips, can then be taken apart. This feature is required for cleaning and sterilization.
The nippers comprise a nippers head which can be geometrically and axially interlocked at the distal shank end with a screw means or in particular with a bayonet lock. However, the rotational locking of the nippers head relative to the shank is problematical because of the torques acting on the nippers.
In German patent document C1 1 970 73 73, which shows a structure outside the species, this problem is solved by a spring-loaded bayonet lock which, however, involves substantial cleaning problems because of the exceedingly constricted conditions in the shank cross-section.
In European patent document B1 0,688,187 of the species, a bayonet lock of a more advantageous design but not secured against rotation is used. Non-rotatability of the nippers head is implemented at the distal tube end by resilient clamping elements which are inside this tube and which geometrically interlock with the rod when the tube is made to abut the end body.
A similar design is provided by the European patent document A1 0,633,002 wherein a leaf spring at the shank tube may be made to geometrically interlock with grooves in the rod and be secured in place in the operative position by means of the apposed end body.
These known designs of the species implement the axial displaceable non-rotatable interlock directly between tube and rod and consequently require complex designs of rod or tube. Problems in manufacture and cleaning therefore ensue.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide nippers of this general type offering full operability as with those of the prior art while being simpler and more easily cleaned as regards the parts which can be dismantled from the end body.
The invention comprises a coupling rotatably supported on the end body and enclosing the rod in longitudinally displaceable but rotationally interlocking manner and in turn being made to rotationally lock onto the rod at its end face when the nippers are being assembled. Accordingly, the rotational connection of rod and tube does not take place directly between these parts but by means of a coupling rotatably supported on the end body while separate from these two parts to which it transmits their rotational linkage. As a result, the shank and the rod can be manufactured to be substantially simpler than in the state of the art, in particular being without resiliently supported elements. The shank and rod need merely be fitted with simple protrusions implementing geometric interlocking. The coupling per se may be designed substantially without regard to the constricted cross-sectional configuration in the shank zone and, remaining at the end body during disassembly, it is subjected to lesser sterility requirements. On the whole, this design is simpler, more economical and more easily cleaned.
The coupling may be permanently supported on the end body, or it may be detachable by compressing resilient stops and be moved through the end body's borehole, for instance for cleaning purposes, repairs or replacements.
When the nippers are being assembled, the tube and the rod must both be made to essentially simultaneously rotationally interlock with the coupling. Short of special design features, they would have to be moved toward the coupling both in precisely determined angular positions to allow geometric interlocking. Features are provided to bypass the work entailing such a handling procedure. Both interlocking zones of the coupling are fitted at their distal ends with trap zones to catch the mating interlocking parts of nippers and tube in the event of angular deviations and moving them in alignment for the next interlocking zone. Nippers assembly is facilitated in this manner.


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