Patent ID: 7578832
Filing Date: 2009-08-25
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A surgical instrument, comprising: an elongate tube having a central lumen extending along an axis; an actuation rod being a two-piece fork actuation rod having a first actuation rod and a second actuation rod side by side to each other with portions of each actuation rod in contact with each other and coaxially slidable within the central lumen of the elongate tube; a first tip including a first pin formed on a proximal end surface of the first tip; and a second tip including a second pin formed on a proximal end surface of the second tip, the second tip pivotally connected to the first tip at a common pivot pin operably connected to the elongate tube to open and close the tips in response to movement of the actuation rod, wherein the first and second actuation rods each have a slot to accept the respective pins of the first and second tips, each slot having camming surfaces for the respective pins to slide within the slot, wherein the first actuation rod and the second actuation rod are independently movable to provide independent motion to the first tip and the second tip, wherein the proximal ends of the tips extend minimally outside the diameter of the elongate tube during actuation of the tips, and wherein the slot of the first actuation rod has a depth within the slot defined from an outer surface of the first actuation rod towards an inner surface of the first actuation rod that varies along the length of the slot.