US6074418A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Driver tool for heart valve prosthesis fasteners
Assignee: St Jude Medical LLC
•
Filing: 1998-12-01
•
Granted: 2000-06-13
•
Expires: 2018-12-01
Abstract
Abstract A driver tool which drives helical fasteners through a heart valve component into tissue. The tool has a tool housing with a distal end couplable to engage the implanted component. A drive shaft at the proximal end of the driver tool couples to a driving force. Multiple driver tips couple to helical fasteners for the heart valve component. A drive train in the tool housing distributes the drive to the driver tips.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric S. Buchanan
- 👤 Kimberly A. Anderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 23:45
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/064; A61B17/068; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2427; A61B17/072; A61B17/11; A61B17/115; A61B17/1155; A61B2017/0649; A61B2017/07214; A61F2/2409
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A driver tool for a heart valve prosthesis component for driving helical fasteners through the heart valve prosthesis component into a tissue annulus of the heart, comprising: a tool housing having a distal end couplable to engage the heart valve prosthesis component and a proximal end spaced away from the distal end; and a drive train mounted in the tool housing having a drive shaft at the proximal end couplable to a driving force and a plurality of driver tips at the distal end couplable to the helical fasteners in the heart valve prosthesis component, the drive train distributing the driving force to each of the driver tips.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A driver tool for a heart valve prosthesis component for driving helical fasteners through the heart valve prosthesis component into a tissue annulus of the heart, comprising: a tool housing having a distal end couplable to engage the heart valve prosthesis component and a proximal end spaced away from the distal end; and a drive train mounted in the tool housing having a drive shaft at the proximal end couplable to a driving force and a plurality of driver tips at the distal end couplable to the helical fasteners in the heart valve prosthesis component, the drive train distributing the driving force to each of the driver tips.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The driver tool of claim 1, further comprising: a first handle extending from the proximal end and manually actuatable to couple a first actuation motion; and a disengagement mechanism in the tool housing receiving the first actuation motion and disengaging the driver tips from the helical fasteners responsive to the first actuation motion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The driver tool of claim 2, further comprising: a second handle extending from the proximal end and manually actuatable to couple a second actuation motion; and a decoupling mechanism in the tool housing receiving the second actuation motion and decoupling the driver tool from the heart valve prosthesis component responsive to the second actuation motion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The driver tool of claim 1, wherein the drive train further comprises flexible shafts coupling the driving force to the driver tips.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The driver tool of claim 4, wherein the flexible shafts make a turn to engage the driver tips.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The driver tool of claim 5, wherein the flexible shafts make turns in a different radial direction for each flexible shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The driver tool of claim 1 wherein the drive train further comprises: a turntable with a central hub coupled to the drive shaft and a circular gear rack spaced radially outward from the central hub; a plurality of gears engaging the circular gear rack, each gear having engaging a driver tip.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The driver tool of claim 7 further comprising: a spring arrangement coupled to the plurality of driver tips to provide axial force to the driver tips.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The driver tool of claim 8 wherein the drive shaft has a tapered surface coupled to the spring arrangement controlling the axial force to the driver tips.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The driver tool of claim 7 wherein the plurality of gears are beveled.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The driver tool of claim 1 wherein the helical fasteners are self-advancing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The driver tool of claim 1 wherein the drive train comprises a central gear coupled to the drive shaft and a plurality of satellite gears engaging the central gear and coupled to the driver tips.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
112 words
A driver tool for driving helical fasteners through a heart valve component into tissue, comprising: a tool housing having a distal end couplable to engage the heart valve component and a proximal end spaced away from the distal end; a drive shaft extending from the proximal end, the drive shaft being twistable by a twisting force; a plurality of driver tips extending from the distal end, each driver tip couplable to a helical fastener for the heart valve component; and a drive shaft coupled to a drive handle and extending into the tool housing; a drive train in the tool housing coupling the twisting from the drive shaft to the driver tips.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
112 words
A driver tool for driving helical fasteners through a heart valve component into tissue, comprising: a tool housing having a distal end couplable to engage the heart valve component and a proximal end spaced away from the distal end; a drive shaft extending from the proximal end, the drive shaft being twistable by a twisting force; a plurality of driver tips extending from the distal end, each driver tip couplable to a helical fastener for the heart valve component; and a drive shaft coupled to a drive handle and extending into the tool housing; a drive train in the tool housing coupling the twisting from the drive shaft to the driver tips.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of attaching an outer ring of a heart valve prosthesis component into a tissue annulus of a heart with helical fasteners, comprising: providing a driver tool which has a handle extending from a drive shaft on a proximal end for distributing drive to multiple driver tips on a distal end; attaching the outer ring of the heart valve prosthesis component to the distal end; placing the multiple helical fasteners on the multiple driver tips and passing them through the outer ring of the heart valve prosthesis component; placing the outer ring into the tissue annulus of the heart driving the multiple helical fasteners into the annulus of the heart by twisting the drive shaft; and removing the driver tool from the outer ring, leaving the outer ring attached to the tissue annulus.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of attaching an outer ring of a heart valve prosthesis component into a tissue annulus of a heart with helical fasteners, comprising: providing a driver tool which has a handle extending from a drive shaft on a proximal end for distributing drive to multiple driver tips on a distal end; attaching the outer ring of the heart valve prosthesis component to the distal end; placing the multiple helical fasteners on the multiple driver tips and passing them through the outer ring of the heart valve prosthesis component; placing the outer ring into the tissue annulus of the heart driving the multiple helical fasteners into the annulus of the heart by twisting the drive shaft; and removing the driver tool from the outer ring, leaving the outer ring attached to the tissue annulus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
106 words
A kit for attaching a heart valve prosthesis component to an annulus of tissue in a heart, comprising: an outer ring of a heart valve prosthesis component; a driver tool having a handle extending from a drive shaft on a proximal end and distributing drive to a plurality of driver tips on a distal end of the driver tool, the distal end being removably attached to the outer ring of the heart valve prosthesis; and a plurality of helical fasteners passing through the outer ring of the heart valve prosthesis, each one of the helical fasteners removably coupling to one of the plurality of driver tips.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
106 words
A kit for attaching a heart valve prosthesis component to an annulus of tissue in a heart, comprising: an outer ring of a heart valve prosthesis component; a driver tool having a handle extending from a drive shaft on a proximal end and distributing drive to a plurality of driver tips on a distal end of the driver tool, the distal end being removably attached to the outer ring of the heart valve prosthesis; and a plurality of helical fasteners passing through the outer ring of the heart valve prosthesis, each one of the helical fasteners removably coupling to one of the plurality of driver tips.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CH307728A
Cited
US3143742A
Cited
FR1386811A
Cited
DE1180087B
Cited
US3546710A
Cited
US3587115A
Cited
US3574865A
Cited
US3686740A
Cited
US4078268A
Cited
US4892541A
Cited
US4680031A
Cited
US4705516A
Cited
US5032128A
Cited
US5354330A
Cited
EP0544102A1
Cited
WO1996003925A1
Cited
US5607470A
Cited
WO1997009928A1
Cited
WO1997030659A1
Cited
US5716370A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-06-13 | 2003-12-13 | 2004-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-06-13 | 2007-12-13 | 2008-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-06-13 | 2011-12-13 | 2012-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |