Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
A surgical stapler having improved visibility at a wound or tissue site and having stored therein at least one staple for suturing tissue, comprising: frame structure means, adapted to be held by a hand, having a generally thin nose and downwardly curved section for directing the staple at the tissue site and including gripping means having first and second handle means; said frame structure means further having an anvil about when the staple is formed by a translatable driver manually actuated in a substantially translatable direction by said hand, through means embodying a substantially translatable trigger portion; a staple ejector for removing the staple from said anvil; one of said handle means being connected to said translatable driver and the other of said handle means being connected to said frame structure means; biasing means for returning said translatable driver from a staple forming position to a staple reloading position; and said actuating means comprises a toggle-like mechanism having a force transmission member linking together said driver and a connecting end portion engageable with a drum rotatable by strap means connected to said translatable trigger portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
A surgical stapler having improved visibility at a wound or tissue site and having stored therein at least one staple for suturing tissue, comprising: frame structure means, adapted to be held by a hand, having a generally thin nose and downwardly curved section for directing the staple at the tissue site and including gripping means having first and second handle means; said frame structure means further having an anvil about when the staple is formed by a translatable driver manually actuated in a substantially translatable direction by said hand, through means embodying a substantially translatable trigger portion; a staple ejector for removing the staple from said anvil; one of said handle means being connected to said translatable driver and the other of said handle means being connected to said frame structure means; biasing means for returning said translatable driver from a staple forming position to a staple reloading position; and said actuating means comprises a toggle-like mechanism having a force transmission member linking together said driver and a connecting end portion engageable with a drum rotatable by strap means connected to said translatable trigger portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 1, wherein said force transmission member is flexible and is integrally formed with said driver and said connecting end portion of said toggle mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 2, including a spring-loaded staple follower disposed atop said driver for continually urging in front thereof a plurality of staples stored end to end against each other in said stapler.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 3, wherein said spring-loaded staple follower comprises a negator spring mounted to said driver and connected to said staple follower through slot means provided in said driver so that said staple follower maintains a position under spring pressure as said driver is actuated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 3, including a housing incorporating said ejector, said driver and staple follower as well as an escapement member for urging one staple at a time into position in front of said driver prior to the actuation of said driver.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 5, wherein said escapement member is a resilient leaf spring mounted to said housing above said staple follower.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 6, wherein said staple ejector comprises a resilient member secured to said housing and being provided with a pair of cantilevered fingers for lifting up a formed or closed staple from about said anvil, and for maintaining a constant pressure against said staple.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 7, wherein said staple ejector, driver, stapler follower and escapement member form a substantially thin laminated unit with the driver having an end portion extending outwardly therefrom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 8, wherein said laminated unit includes top and bottom covers forming said housing, and said staple ejector is secured to said bottom cover and said escapement member is secured to said top cover.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 9, wherein said end portion of said driver is channel-shaped with arcuate trunnions on the side portions thereof for engagement with said actuating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 10, wherein said laminated unit is curved conforming to the curvature of said nose section of said frame structure of said stapler.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 11, including means to prevent double loading of said staples in said stapler.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 12, wherein said means includes a deflectaable pawl arm extending from said trigger element, and a ratchet element on said driver having at least one tooth which is engageable with said pawl arm for ensuring that each actuation cycle of operation is completed before a new cycle can commence.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 13, wherein said pawl arm has a grooved section which is engageable with said ratchet element for about one-half of said cycle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 14, wherein said pawl arm is integrally formed with said trigger portion, and said ratchet is integrally formed with said driver.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 15, wherein the downwardly extending end of said trigger portion is seated in a blind aperture in the handle portion of said frame.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 16, wherein at least one finger grip is provided in said trigger portion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 17, wherein said anvil is provided on said bottom cover, and said driver and said staple follower are sandwiched between said top and bottom covers in a single track.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 18, wherein said covers form said track for the travel of said driver; and said covers retain said staples in place atop said driver in a row nested end to end fashion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 19, including means for aligning said driver comprising slot means on said driver and cooperatively associated pin means on said bottom cover.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 20, including an approximating blade disposed at the curved nose section of said frame structure.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 21, wherein said approximating blade is removable.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 22, including a window in said frame structure for observing the number of remaining staples stored is said stapler.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
191 words
A surgical stapler having having stored therein a plurality of staples and having a frame structure, with a nose section for directing the staples at a suture site, and being adapted to be gripped by a hand; said stapler comprising a housing supporting an anvil, and having a single track encompassing a driver for deforming a staple about said anvil and a biased staple follower in juxtapostion above said driver for continuously urging said staples forwardly in said track in cooperative association with a release member which urges a single staple down into position in front of said driver; manually operated actuating means embodying a substantially translatable trigger member for loading and forming a staple in one cycle; said driver being actuated in a substantially translatable direction by a toggle-like mechanism of drum configuration; biasing means connected to said said toggle-like mechanism for completing the forming and loading cycle, thereby allowing the loading of a successive staple in position in front of said driver for forming said staple about said anvil; and said staples being stacked and nested end to end between said driver and the upper portion of said housing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
191 words
A surgical stapler having having stored therein a plurality of staples and having a frame structure, with a nose section for directing the staples at a suture site, and being adapted to be gripped by a hand; said stapler comprising a housing supporting an anvil, and having a single track encompassing a driver for deforming a staple about said anvil and a biased staple follower in juxtapostion above said driver for continuously urging said staples forwardly in said track in cooperative association with a release member which urges a single staple down into position in front of said driver; manually operated actuating means embodying a substantially translatable trigger member for loading and forming a staple in one cycle; said driver being actuated in a substantially translatable direction by a toggle-like mechanism of drum configuration; biasing means connected to said said toggle-like mechanism for completing the forming and loading cycle, thereby allowing the loading of a successive staple in position in front of said driver for forming said staple about said anvil; and said staples being stacked and nested end to end between said driver and the upper portion of said housing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 24, wherein said frame comprises split halves of a molded gun shaped stapler with a curved nose section and a depending handle portion having a substantially translatable trigger element connected to said actuating means by strap means extending from said restoring means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 25, wherein said actuating means includes a rotatable drum.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 26, wherein said driver is connected eccentrically to said drum.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 27, wherein said follower is spring-loaded, and the distal end thereof conforms to the shape of an underformed staple.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 28, wherein the spring-loaded end of said follower comprises a negator spring mounted to said driver and connected to said follower through slot means provided in said driver.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 24, including a staple ejector having a pair of cantilevered resilient legs or or fingers for urging said formed and closed staple off said anvil.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 24, wherein said housing and said staple driver and follower form a substantially thin and flat laminated-like assembly, with the driver having an end portion extending outwardly therefrom.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The surgical stapler according to claim 31, wherein said end portion of said driver is channel-shaped with arcuate trunnion ends on the side portions thereof for engagement with said actuating means.