Patent ID: 9498227
Filing Date: 2016-11-22
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A surgical clip applier, comprising: a housing; at least one handle pivotably connected to the housing; a channel assembly fixed to and extending from the housing; a jaw assembly including a pair of jaws extending from an end of said channel assembly, opposite said housing, said jaw assembly adapted to accommodate a clip therein and being operable to effect closure of a clip in response to movement of said at least one handle; a clip carrier disposed within said channel assembly and defining a channel and a plurality of windows; a plurality of clips slidably disposed within said channel of said clip carrier; a wedge plate slidably disposed within at least one of said housing and said channel assembly, said wedge plate having a first end operatively connected to said at least one handle and a second end configured for selective operative interposition between the pair of jaws, such that the second end of the wedge plate cams against an inner surface of each of the pair of jaws of the jaw assembly, the wedge plate defining a plurality of apertures formed along a length thereof; a clip pusher bar slidably disposed within at least one of said housing and said channel assembly, said pusher bar having a first end operatively connected to said at least one handle and a second end defining a pusher terminating proximate said pair of jaws and being configured to engage a backspan of a distal-most clip of said plurality of clips; and a clip follower slidably disposed within said channel of said clip carrier at a location proximal of said plurality of clips, said clip follower being configured and adapted for selective engagement with said windows of said clip carrier and said apertures of said wedge plate, wherein when said at least one handle is actuated, said wedge plate is distally advanced until the second end thereof is disposed between the pair of jaws, and said wedge plate distally urges the clip follower to distally urge said plurality of clips relative to said clip carrier.