Patent ID: 8465518
Filing Date: 2013-06-18
Classification: A61B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of sealing a tissue puncture, comprising: providing a tissue puncture closure device comprising a filament, an anchor, a sealing plug slidingly attached to the filament adjacent to the anchor, a tamping tube, and an automatic transmission, the automatic transmission comprising a filament spool, an input gear, an output gear, at least two intermediate gears, and a clutch member operable between the at least two intermediate gears; deploying the anchor in the tissue puncture; at least partially withdrawing the closure device; automatically changing a gear ratio between the input and output gears to achieve a mechanical advantage when a torque of the automatic transmission exceeds a clutch breakdown value to increase a force applied to the sealing plug by the tamping tube, and automatically decrease a mechanical advantage when the torque falls below the clutch breakdown value.