Patent ID: 6086606
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An apparatus, comprising:an elongate outer tubular element having a proximal end and a distal end formed to have a first cleft, the first cleft having a first cleft orientation defining a first plane;an elongate inner element having a proximal end and a distal end formed to have a second cleft, the second cleft having a second cleft orientation defining a second plane;a mechanism for controllably moving the inner element longitudinally within the tubular element;a force-application pin mounted to the inner element to bridge the second cleft;a pair of parallel cantilevered cam pins, each of the cantilevered cam pins having an elongate axis, the pair of cam pins being mounted on opposite sides of a central axis of the tubular element inside the first cleft and wherein the elongate axis of each cam pin is oriented in a direction transverse to the first plane and transverse to the second plane; anda pair of cooperating end effector elements, each having a force-receiving portion and a force-applying portion, each force-receiving portion being formed to pivotally engage with the force-application pin and to simultaneously engage with a respective one of the cam pins, so that relative longitudinal motion between the tubular element and the inner element when in a first direction causes forcible rotations of the end effector elements about the force-application pin to drive the force-applying portions toward each other and when in a second direction causes opposite forcible rotations of the end effector elements about the force-application pin to drive the force-applying portions apart.