Patent ID: 8518055

Claim:
An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising: a housing defining a bottom of said applicator instrument; a firing system disposed in said housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions along a first axis; a handle extending upwardly from said housing along a second axis that defines an acute angle with said first axis, said handle having an upper end that defines a top of said applicator instrument; a trigger mounted on said handle for actuating said firing system; an elongated shaft extending from said housing, said elongated shaft having a proximal section that extends along the first axis and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section for extending upwardly toward the top of said application instrument; a linkage coupling said trigger with said handle and said firing system, wherein said linkage comprises: a first rotating link having upper gear teeth and lower gear teeth, said first rotating link being disposed inside an upper portion of said trigger; a first pivot pivotally securing said first rotating link to the upper portion of said trigger; a second rotating link having upper gear teeth and lower gear teeth, said second rotating link being disposed inside a lower portion of said trigger; a second pivot pivotally securing said second rotating link to the lower portion of said trigger; and the lower gear teeth of said first rotating link meshing with the upper gear teeth of said second rotating link so that when said trigger is squeezed said first and second rotating links rotate at the same rate; and a first rack located near the upper end of said handle for meshing with the upper gear teeth of said first rotating link and a second rack located near an upper end of said housing of said applicator instrument for meshing with the lower gear teeth of said second rotating link.