Patent ID: 8663254

Claim:
A self-piercing blind rivet for clamping opposing layers of tissue comprising, in combination: (a) an elongate carrier having a distal end and proximal end, the carrier being configured as a hollow tubular body with a sharp, hollow, open-ended tip at the distal end thereof and adapted to penetrate the opposing layers and to allow passage therethrough of an actuating element; (b) an elastically deformable distal clip fixed axially on the carrier adjacent its distal end; (c) an elastically deformable proximal clip disposed on the carrier and axially displaceable in a direction toward the distal end of the carrier; (d) a coupling element on the proximal end of the carrier adapted to receive a locking element at a distal end of the actuating element for displacing the clips relative to each other; wherein the actuating element with its locking element is configured to pass through the entire length of the hollow tubular body of the carrier and extend out of the tip; wherein the blind rivet is configured to be held in a guide tube from which it can be pushed out for penetrating the tissue; wherein the elastically deformable clips are configured to be pressed down around the carrier while in the guide tube and to open outward after the blind rivet has been pushed out; and wherein the tip attaches to and extends distally from the elastically deformable distal clip.