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US5573546A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Biopsy ejecting forceps

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1995-03-07
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Granted: 1996-11-12
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Expires: 2015-03-07
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Abstract

Abstract An improved biopsy forceps for retrieving a tissue sample from an internal organ includes device for ejecting a tissue sample from the cups after the sample is retrieved from the internal organ. The improved biopsy forceps has scissor links for operating the cups, and plungers rigidly attached to the scissor links. The plungers protrude through apertures in the cups when the cups are fully opened, ejecting the tissue sample. Alternatively, the forceps have pushing members positioned inside of the cups and attached to the distal end of an actuating wire. The ejection device is actuated from the proximal end of the forceps by sliding the wire. A latch mechanism can be provided on the proximal end to selectively prevent actuation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Naomi L. Nakao

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 16:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/06; A61B17/00; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2926; A61B2017/2932; A61B2017/2939

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 142 words
A biopsy forceps for retrieving a tissue sample from an organ, comprising: a flexible, hollow cable with a proximal end and a distal end; a plurality of opposing cups pivotally attached to said distal end of said hollow cable for severing the tissue sample from the organ; a first wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable and operably connected to said cups; a second wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable; tissue sample ejecting means operably attached to said second wire for ejecting the tissue sample from said cups; first means on said proximal end of said cable for moving said first wire from a first position whereby said cups are closed to a second position whereby said cups are opened; second means on said proximal end of said cable for sliding said second wire to activate said tissue sample ejecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 142 words
A biopsy forceps for retrieving a tissue sample from an organ, comprising: a flexible, hollow cable with a proximal end and a distal end; a plurality of opposing cups pivotally attached to said distal end of said hollow cable for severing the tissue sample from the organ; a first wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable and operably connected to said cups; a second wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable; tissue sample ejecting means operably attached to said second wire for ejecting the tissue sample from said cups; first means on said proximal end of said cable for moving said first wire from a first position whereby said cups are closed to a second position whereby said cups are opened; second means on said proximal end of said cable for sliding said second wire to activate said tissue sample ejecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 121 words
A biopsy forceps for retrieving a tissue sample from an organ, comprising: a flexible, hollow cable with a proximal end and a distal end; a plurality of opposing cups pivotally attached to said distal end of said hollow cable for severing the tissue sample from the organ; tissue sample ejection means disposed in a proximal end of said cups; a first wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable and operably connected to said cups whereby sliding said wire opens and closes said cups; a second wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable and connected to said tissue sample ejection means whereby sliding said second wire moves said tissue sample ejection means between said cups, ejecting the tissue sample from the cups.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 121 words
A biopsy forceps for retrieving a tissue sample from an organ, comprising: a flexible, hollow cable with a proximal end and a distal end; a plurality of opposing cups pivotally attached to said distal end of said hollow cable for severing the tissue sample from the organ; tissue sample ejection means disposed in a proximal end of said cups; a first wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable and operably connected to said cups whereby sliding said wire opens and closes said cups; a second wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable and connected to said tissue sample ejection means whereby sliding said second wire moves said tissue sample ejection means between said cups, ejecting the tissue sample from the cups.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 2, wherein said tissue sample ejection means comprises an ejection plate and a leg member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 3, wherein said leg member comprises a pair of spaced apart elements joined at their proximal ends.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 2, wherein said first wire has a flattened area with a transverse hole for engaging an operating pin operably connected to said opposing cups.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 130 words
A biopsy forceps for retrieving a tissue sample from an organ, comprising: a flexible, hollow cable with a proximal end and a distal end; first and second opposing cups pivotally attached to said distal end of said hollow cable for severing the tissue sample from the organ, said opposing cups each having an ejection aperture; first and second scissor links pivotally attached respectively to said first and second opposing cups; a wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable having a distal end pivotally attached to said scissor links, whereby a movement of said wire in said cable in the distal direction toggles said scissor links and opens said cups; ejection plungers rigidly attached to said scissor links and positioned to protrude through said ejection apertures when said cups are opened.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 130 words
A biopsy forceps for retrieving a tissue sample from an organ, comprising: a flexible, hollow cable with a proximal end and a distal end; first and second opposing cups pivotally attached to said distal end of said hollow cable for severing the tissue sample from the organ, said opposing cups each having an ejection aperture; first and second scissor links pivotally attached respectively to said first and second opposing cups; a wire slidably disposed within said hollow cable having a distal end pivotally attached to said scissor links, whereby a movement of said wire in said cable in the distal direction toggles said scissor links and opens said cups; ejection plungers rigidly attached to said scissor links and positioned to protrude through said ejection apertures when said cups are opened.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 12 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 6 wherein the ejection plungers are curved.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 6 wherein the ejection plunger is formed integrally with the scissor link.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 36 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 6 wherein the ejection plungers are moved from a first position adjacent the wire when the cups are in a closed position through an arcuate path when the cups are opened.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 24 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 6 wherein the ejection plungers are radially disposed within the periphery of the outer surfaces of the closed cups.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 95 words
In a biopsy forceps having a flexible cable with proximal and distal ends, a plurality of opposing cups on the distal end of the cable for severing and retrieving a tissue sample, a wire slidably disposed within the cable and operably attached to the opposing cups, and means for sliding the wire mounted on the proximal end of the cable, the improvement comprising ejection means for ejecting the tissue sample from the opposing cups, where said ejection means is operably attached to the wire and said ejection means extends into the interior of the cups.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 95 words
In a biopsy forceps having a flexible cable with proximal and distal ends, a plurality of opposing cups on the distal end of the cable for severing and retrieving a tissue sample, a wire slidably disposed within the cable and operably attached to the opposing cups, and means for sliding the wire mounted on the proximal end of the cable, the improvement comprising ejection means for ejecting the tissue sample from the opposing cups, where said ejection means is operably attached to the wire and said ejection means extends into the interior of the cups.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 38 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 11, wherein the ejection means for ejecting the tissue sample comprises pushing means for pushing the tissue sample from the cups, said pushing means being mounted on a distal end of the wire.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 13 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 12, wherein the pushing means comprises a plate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 29 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 11 wherein said ejection means comprises at least one ejection plunger for protruding through a hole in at least one of said opposing cups.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 54 words
The biopsy forceps of claim 11 further comprising a means on said proximal end of said cable for sliding said wire within said cable; said sliding means including a latch for selectively preventing movement between a position for opening the cups to retrieve a tissue sample and a position for ejecting the tissue sample.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4785825A Cited
US4721116A Cited
US4763668A Cited
US5172700A Cited
US5082000A Cited
US5373854A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-11-12 2000-05-13 2000-11-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-11-12 2004-05-13 2004-11-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-11-12 2008-05-13 2008-11-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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