Abstract:
Forceps for grasping tissue during a medical procedure. The forceps include a body, a jaw pivotally mounted on the body for movement between a grasping position and a releasing position, and a lever operatively connected to the jaw to drive the jaw from the grasping position to the releasing position. The forceps include a digit engagement member rotatably mounted on the lever. The digit engagement member has an engagement surface configured to engage a digit of an operator&#39;s hand during use. The engagement surface rotates relative to the lever as the lever drives the jaw from the releasing position to the grasping position

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a manually operable equipment, and more particularly to manually operable equipment having a digit engagement member that rotates independently from an actuation member.  
         [0002]     Various tools and equipment such as medical devices, including laparoscopic forceps and conventional scissors, have actuation members which are moved to actuate the equipment. In many instances, the actuation member is a lever which is pivoted to actuate the equipment. As an example,  FIG. 1  illustrates conventional laparoscopic forceps generally designated by the reference number  10 . The forceps  10  have opposing levers  12 , at least one of which is operatively connected to jaws  16  of the forceps. As the levers  12  move toward and away from each other, the jaws  16  close and open to grasp and release tissue or objects, respectively. Frequently, these levers  12  include rings  18  as shown in  FIG. 1  for receiving a digit, such as a thumb or finger of a user. These rings  18  permit the user to selectively pivot the levers  12  in opposite directions to spread the levers such as when opening the jaws  14  and releasing tissue. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, without the rings  18  it is difficult to spread the levers  12  with one hand. Thus, the rings  18  enable one-handed operation of the equipment  10  which is particularly advantageous for medical equipment.  
         [0003]     Digit engagement members such as rings  18  are well known in the art and generally function well for their intended purposes. However, when latex gloves are used in combination with equipment having digit rings, friction between the latex gloves and the digit rings can make the equipment more difficult to operate. In particular, the digit ring  18  tends to rotate around the user&#39;s digit as the user pivots the lever  12  when using the equipment. Friction between the glove and the surface of the digit ring  18  resists this rotation, hampering free movement of the equipment and user&#39;s hand, and sometimes causing the latex to pinch the user&#39;s digit or causing the latex to tear, thereby reducing its protective barrier characteristics. Accordingly, there is a need for equipment having digit rings, which eliminate or reduce the frictional effects that occur between the digit ring and the user&#39;s glove or hand, and which overcome the resulting disadvantages noted above, as well as other disadvantages which are known and appreciated by persons skilled in the art.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention relates to forceps for grasping tissue during a medical procedure. The forceps comprise a body, a jaw pivotally mounted on the body for movement between a grasping position and a releasing position, and a lever operatively connected to the jaw to drive the jaw from the grasping position to the releasing position. In addition, the forceps include a digit engagement member rotatably mounted on the lever. The digit engagement member has an engagement surface configured to engage a digit of an operator&#39;s hand during use. The engagement surface rotates relative to the lever as the lever drives the jaw from the releasing position to the grasping position.  
         [0005]     In another aspect, the present invention includes a equipment manually operable by motion of a digit of an operator&#39;s hand. The equipment comprises a body, an actuation member mounted on the body for movement between a first position and a second position, and a digit engagement member rotatably mounted on the actuation member. The digit engagement member has an engagement surface configured to engage a digit of an operator&#39;s hand during use. The engagement surface rotates relative to the actuation as the actuation member moves between the first position and the second position.  
         [0006]     In yet another aspect, the present invention includes equipment manually operable by motion of a digit of an operator&#39;s hand. The equipment comprises a body, an actuation member mounted on the body for movement between a first position and a second position, and a digit engagement member mounted on the actuation member. The digit engagement member has an aperture defined by a series of flexible leaves spaced around the aperture. Each of the leaves has a tip configured to engage a digit of an operator&#39;s hand during use. The series of leaves deform to conform to the digit of the operator&#39;s hand.  
         [0007]     Other aspects of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation of exemplary conventional equipment having digit rings for actuation;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation of a portion of equipment of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a separated perspective of the portion of equipment illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation of a portion of equipment of a second embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a separated perspective of the portion of equipment illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
       [0013]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Referring now to the figures, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , exemplary conventional equipment is designated in its entirety by the reference  10 . The equipment  10 , which in one embodiment consists of a pair of laparoscopic forceps, includes one or more levers  12 . At least one of the levers  12  moves relative to a body  14  of the equipment  10 . In the case of the exemplary embodiment, in which the equipment  10  is a pair of laparoscopic forceps, one lever  12  pivots relative to the body  14  to move jaws  16 , which open and close in response to the levers moving away from each other and toward each other, respectively. At least one of said levers  12  includes a digit ring  18 . The operator inserts his or her digits into corresponding digit rings  18  and moves his or her digits together to move the levers and actuate the equipment  10 . As this equipment  10  is conventional, it will not be described in further detail.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates a portion of equipment of a first embodiment of the present invention generally designated by the reference  20 . The equipment  20  may be laparoscopic forceps similar to those described above but with additional and novel features as described below. The equipment  20  includes at least one actuation member  22  adapted for movement between a first position and a second position. The actuation member  22  is moveably connected to a body (e.g., a body similar to the body  14  of the equipment  10 ). In some exemplary embodiments, the actuation member  22  is a lever which pivots relative to the body. The actuation member  22  includes an opening  24 . In some embodiments, the opening  24  is positioned at an end of the actuation member  22 . A digit engagement member  30  is rotatably mounted on the actuation member  22  inside the opening  24 . The digit engagement member  30  has an engagement surface  32  configured to engage a digit of an operator&#39;s hand during use. Although the digit engagement member  30  may have other shapes without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the digit engagement member is a full annular 360° ring as shown so the digit engagement surface  32  defines an aperture sized and shaped for receiving a digit of the user. Although the opening  24  in the actuation member  22  may have other shapes without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the opening is a fully enclosed circular hole as shown. The digit engagement surface  32  rotates relative to the actuation member  22  as the actuation member moves.  
         [0016]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the digit engagement member  30  is held in position by a separate retainer portion  40  fastened to the actuation member  22  adjacent the opening  24 . Both the retainer portion  40  and the actuation member  22  include a shaped groove (although only the groove in the retainer portion is visible in  FIG. 3 ), which collectively form an outer bearing race  42 . The digit engagement member  30  also includes a groove forming an inner bearing race  44  having a shape which complements the outer bearing race  42  formed by the retainer portion  40  and the actuation member  22 . The outer and inner bearing races  42 ,  44 , respectively, receive a plurality of ball bearings  46  (only two of which are shown in  FIG. 3 ) forming a bearing connecting the digit engagement member  30  and the actuation member  22  so the digit engagement member freely rotates relative to the actuation member. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the components described above may be formed with other types of bearings connecting the digit engagement member  30  and the actuation member  22 . For example, the ball bearings  46  may be replaced with roller or needle bearings (not shown) without departing from the scope of the present invention. Further, the bearings may be replaced with a low friction bushing which acts as a bearing to allow the digit engagement member  30  to freely rotate relative to the actuation member  22 . Although the actuation member  22 , the digit engagement member  30  and the retainer portion  40  may be made of other suitable conventional materials, in one embodiment each of these components is made from a surgical stainless steel. In an alternative embodiment, the actuation member  22 , the digit engagement member  30  and the retainer portion  40  are made of conventional polymeric materials. Although the ball bearings  46  may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the ball bearings are made of hardened steel. The actuation member  22  and the retainer portion  40  may be joined by any suitable conventional means, such as with screw fasteners or adhesives (not shown).  
         [0017]     To operate the equipment  20  described above, the user grasps the equipment in a conventional fashion and engages a digit (e.g., a thumb) with the digit engagement member  30  so the digit is in contact with the engagement surface  32 . In one embodiment, the user engages the digit engagement member  30  by inserting the digit in the aperture defined by the engagement surface  32 . The user then operates the equipment  20  in a conventional fashion by moving the actuation member  22  relative to the body of the equipment. As the user moves the actuation member  22 , the digit engagement member  30  rotates relative to the actuation member to reduce or eliminate relative motion between the user&#39;s digit and the engagement surface  32 . In some preferred embodiments, the digit engagement surface  32  is adapted to be substantially free of sliding motion relative to the digit of the operator&#39;s hand as the actuation member  22  moves between the first position and the second position. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the reducing relative motion between the user&#39;s digit and the actuation member  22  improves freedom of movement of the equipment and the user&#39;s hand, reduces opportunities for latex gloves to pinch the user&#39;s hand and reduces opportunities for the gloves to tear, thereby overcoming problems associated with conventional equipment described above. Moreover, the engagement surface  32  is less likely to wear the user&#39;s glove or hand because relative motion between hand and glove is significantly reduced.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  illustrates a portion of equipment of a second embodiment of the present invention generally designated by the reference  50 . The equipment  50  may be laparoscopic equipment. The equipment  50  includes at least one actuation member  52  adapted for movement between a first position and a second position. In some exemplary embodiments, the actuation member  52  slides relative to finger rings  54  (or another body forming part of the equipment) when the user actuates the equipment. The actuation member  22  includes an opening  56 . In some embodiments, the opening  56  is positioned at an end of the actuation member  52  as shown. A digit engagement member  60  is rotatably mounted on the actuation member  52  inside the opening  56 .  
         [0019]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the digit engagement member  60  has an engagement surface, generally designated  62 , defining an aperture configured to receive a digit of an operator&#39;s hand during use. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the surface  62  includes a series of flexible leaves  64  spaced along surface around the aperture. Each of the leaves  64  has a tip  66  configured to engage a digit of an operator&#39;s hand during use. The leaves  64  deform to conform to the digit of the operator&#39;s hand, providing the digit with a snug but comfortable fit. Although the leaves  64  may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the leaves are formed from a flexible synthetic polymer that grips the user&#39;s digit so the digit engagement member  60  easily deforms to accept the digit, provides a snug fit and frictionally engages the user&#39;s digit during use. Although the leaves  64  may have other shapes without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the leaves are tapered so each leaf is thinner at its tip  66  as shown in  FIG. 5  and have rounded tips. Moreover, although the leaves  64  have other spacings without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment each pair of adjacent leaves  64  is spaced by a groove  68  having a uniform width. Further, in one embodiment, each of the grooves  68  separating adjacent leaves  64  has a substantially equal width compared to the other grooves.  
         [0020]     As further illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the digit engagement member  60  is held in position by a separate retainer portion  80  fastened to the actuation member  52  adjacent the opening  56 . Both the retainer portion  80  and the opening  56  in the actuation member  52  include a generally circular bushing surfaces  82 ,  84 , respectively, which receive complementary bushing surfaces  86 ,  88 , respectively, on the digit engagement member  60 . Further, the digit engagement member  60  includes a circular rib  90  which engages a slot formed between the circular bushing surfaces  82 ,  84  of the retainer portion and actuation member  52  when assembled. Together, these surfaces form a bushing (or more broadly a bearing) which retains the digit engagement member  60  in the opening  56  of the actuation member  52  and allows it to rotate therein. Although the bushing surfaces  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 , the rib  90  and the slot surfaces may be made or coated from or with other low friction materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment at least one surface of each pair of complementary surfaces is coated with a silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene to reduce friction between the components. Although the actuation member  52  and the retainer portion  80  may be made over any suitable conventional materials, in one embodiment each of these components is made from a conventional polymeric material. The actuation member  52  and the retainer portion  80  may be joined by any suitable conventional means, such as with screw fasteners or adhesives (not shown).  
         [0021]     When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.  
         [0022]     As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.