Patent ID: 9414844
Filing Date: 2016-08-16
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A surgical clip applier for applying surgical clips to body tissue, the surgical clip applier comprising: a housing; at least one handle pivotably connected to the housing; a channel assembly extending distally from the housing; a clip carrier disposed within the channel assembly and defining a channel and a plurality of windows therein; a plurality of clips slidably disposed within the channel of the clip carrier; a drive channel supported in and extending between the housing and the channel assembly, the drive channel longitudinally movable relative to the housing in response to an actuation of the at least one handle; a wedge plate slidably disposed within the channel assembly, the wedge plate being operatively connected to the at least one handle and including a plurality of apertures formed along a length thereof; a drive channel strap fixed to the drive channel and disposed distally of the plurality of apertures of the wedge plate; a distal lockout fixed relative to the channel assembly and disposed distally of the drive channel strap; a clip pusher bar slidably positioned within the housing and the channel assembly, the clip pusher bar having a proximal end operatively connected to the at least one handle and a distal end defining a pusher, wherein the distal end of the clip pusher bar is configured for engagement with a distal-most clip of the plurality of clips; and a clip follower slidably disposed within the channel of the clip carrier and disposed proximally of the plurality of clips, the clip follower being configured for selective engagement with the plurality of windows of the clip carrier and the plurality of apertures of the wedge plate, the clip follower being configured to urge the plurality of clips in a distal direction relative to the clip carrier upon reciprocal movement of the wedge plate, wherein the clip follower, after a last clip of the plurality of clips has been expelled by the surgical clip applier, moves the distal lockout across a path of the drive channel strap such that upon an actuation of the at least one handle, the distal lockout abuts the drive channel strap to prevent the drive channel strap from moving distally and, in turn, the drive channel from moving distally to lockout the surgical clip applier.