Patent ID: 7455678

Claim:
An aorta cross clamp assembly, comprising: a clamp having first and second jaws that are movable toward and away from each other, the first jaw being fixed and the second jaw being movable toward or away from the first jaw, the clamp further including: a base having a bore therethrough, the first jaw being connected to the base; a slot in the first jaw adjacent the connection with the base, the second jaw being disposed within the slot; and a hinge pin extending through the slot and the second jaw to support the second jaw for pivotal movement within the slot; an elongate housing having first and second ends, the clamp being connected to the first end; an elongate actuator disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the jaws such that axial movement of the actuator within the housing causes the jaws to move toward or away from each other; a retainer disposed within the housing, the retainer having two modes of operation, the retainer in the first mode permitting the actuator to move within the housing such that the jaws are moved toward each other but not away from each other, and the retainer in the second mode permitting the actuator to be moved within the housing such that the jaws are moved away from each other, the retainer including; a screw disposed within the bore, the screw having first and second ends; a nut connected to the base, the screw passing through the nut, the connection between the nut and the screw being such that the screw can move toward the second jaw without rotating but the screw can move away from the second jaw only by being rotated; a slot in the second jaw; a link rotatably connected to the first end of the screw and connected to the second jaw by a pin passing through the link and the slot in the second jaw; and a drive connector connected to the second end of the screw, the actuator being connected to the connector in driving relationship; a handle connected to the second end of the housing; and a stem connected to the actuator, the stem projecting outwardly of the handle, the stem permitting the user to operate the actuator in either the first or second modes of operation permitted by the retainer.