Hemostat

Abstract

A hemostat or similar device for clamping blood vessels, tubes, or the like and comprising a pair of pivotally mounted handle members joined by a hub integrally formed on one handle member and secured to the opposite handle member by a retaining clip.

Parent Case Text

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of our earlier filed application Ser. No. 773,593, filed Nov. 5, 1968, entitled Hemostat, and now abandoned, which, in turn, is a continuation-in-part of our earlier filed application Ser. No. 608,419, filed Jan. 10, 1967, entitled Ligating Hemostat and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,410.

Description

OBJECTS AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides an instrument whose primary use is in the field of medicine as a hemostat. The instrument provides a clamp for blood vessels or other various tubular members where temporary clamping is required. The instrument is preferably molded from a non-metallic material and comprises two handle members joined by a pivot means.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a hemostat of simple and inexpensive construction.

A further object is to provide a hemostat wherein the pivot means comprises a hub formed integrally with one of the hemostat handle members.

A further object is to provide a hemostat having means for reducing friction between handle members upon pivotal movement thereof.

A further object is to provide a hemostat whose individual nose portions or clamping jaws are of substantially constant thickness from the free end thereof to a point beyond the pivot point.

A still further object is to provide a hemostat with a rib area integral with each handle for increased rigidity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing in which like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a hemostat constituting the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 showing details of the pivot portion of the hemostat;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the parts in an exploded position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing an alternative arrangement for retaining the handle members in pivoted relation;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the hemostat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along lines 6--6 of FIG. 1 showing the integral rib portion and the locking feature;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the nose and pivot portions of the hemostat of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purpose of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In U.S. application Ser. No. 608,419 referred to above, there is shown and described a hemostat-ligature instrument. The present invention concerns a hemostat of the general type shown in said earlier application and provides a simpler means of constructing and assembling the hemostat.

In the drawings and in particular FIG. 1 there is shown an instrument indicated generally at 10 made in accordance with the teachings of this invention, said instrument being operative to perform a clamping function for primary use in the field of medicine. The instrument comprises a pair of handle members 12 and 14 joined at an intermediate point by pivot means 16 comprising pivot portions.

The handle members 12 and 14 are preferably formed of a non-metallic material; for example, a synthetic material such as nylon, polystyrene, etc. The handles are conveniently molded to lower the manufacturing costs of the instrument and thereby make it economically feasible to discard the instrument after a single use. Each handle member 12 and 14 has a raised rib or web 13 and 15, respectively, thereon which is integrally molded with an elongated portion of the respective handle member. This rib adds strength and rigidity to the handle member thereby allowing the handle member to be of a smaller thickness than would otherwise be possible. Accordingly, in cross-section, the elongated portions of the handle members have a generally T-shaped configuration. The handle members have nose portions 18 at one end thereof and finger-receiving enclosed loop portions 20 at their opposite end. Locking means 22 are provided adjacent the finger-receiving portions for maintaining the instrument in a closed position while also permitting opening of the instrument by disengaging the ratchet teeth of the locking means. The nose portions 18 of the handle members are generally in a plane generally parallel to but offset from the plane containing the remaining portions of the handle members, with the offset as indicated at 24 to thereby bring the nose portions into mutual coplanar alignment as shown in FIG. 5 and for cooperation of the clamping teeth 26 provided along the interior face of each nose portion. This offset allows the nose portions and pivot portions to be of the same thickness as the handle members thereby providing for stronger nose portions, as shown in FIG. 7.

Pivot means 16 is best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 and includes a hub 28 molded as an integral part of handle 12 and an aperture 30 formed in the pivot portion of handle 14. The hub is of generally cylindrical configuration and comprises an upstanding one-piece hub portion having a smooth outer surface and of constant uniform cross-sectional configuration, and passes through the aperture 30 formed in handle 14 in a manner so as to allow relative pivotal motion as between said handle members. In order to maintain the two handle members in assembled position there is provided a retaining means in the form of a resilient clip 32 which surrounds the hub 28 and has radial flanges 34 for biting into the exterior surface of hub 28. More specifically the clip retaining means includes segmented radial flange means extending radially toward the axis of said hub and at an angle to said hub toward the free end thereof, the inside diameter of said flange means being smaller than the outside diameter of said hub causing frictional locking engagement therebetween. The clip 32 may be used alone on hub 28 or as shown in FIG. 4 there may also be provided a spring washer 36 of dished configuration which will exert a constant pressure on the clip 32 thereby insuring that the flanges 34 are maintained in firm contact with the exterior of the hub.

Since the handle members 12 and 14 are normally molded plastic parts, they do not have as smooth a surface finish as would be possible with an expensive polished steel hemostat. Therefore, the ease with which the handle members pivot with respect to each other may be hampered because of the frictional forces which are present. To provide for relatively free pivotal movement a ring or a washer 38 may be inserted around hub 28 and between the handles 12 and 14, such ring being formed of a material having an extremely low coefficient of friction such as Teflon. The use of such a ring will provide the hemostat with the same basic feel as the metal hemostat with which the medical profession is accustomed.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

Claims

We claim:

1. A disposable hemostat, comprising:

a first and second handle member each of unitary construction and fabricated from a moldable, non-metallic material;

each handle member having a generally elongated portion terminating at one end with an integral and manually graspable enclosed loop portion;

each handle member being provided with a pivot portion integral with another end of said elongated portion;

said pivot portion, said elongated portion and said loop portion of each handle member being generally coplanar in a first plane;

each handle member being provided with an elongated nose portion having inwardly directed clamping teeth integral with said pivot portion and projecting from said pivot portion generally in a second plane parallel to but offset from said first plane;

said first handle member having its pivot portion provided with an integrally molded hub;

said second handle member being provided with an aperture in its pivot portion;

said handle members being pivotally joined at their pivot portions with said hub being rotatably received through said second handle member aperture, and with said elongated offset nose portions being disposed in mutual coplanar relationship and pivotable about said pivot portions into mutual longitudinal clamping engagement; retaining means for said handle members comprising,

a clip having an aperture therethrough and integral flange means encircling said clip aperture,

said clip being slidably received over said hub with said hub freely received through said clip aperture and with said flange means being frictionally and slidably received over a substantial length of said hub;

said flange means further encircling said hub with a portion of said flange means in frictionally locked engagement therewith, with said clip located in fixed position on said hub and overlying said second handle member pivot portion; and further wherein, said pivot portion, said elongated portion and said loop portion of each handle member are substantially equal in cross-sectional thickness.

2. The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein, a substantial longitudinal length of said elongated portion of each handle member is provided therein with an integral elongated reinforcing rib.

3. The structure as recited in claim 2, and further including: a washer of non-metallic material having a relatively low coefficient of friction and received over said hub portion and interposed between said pivot portions of said pivotally joined handle members.