Patent ID: 7419495

Claim:
A trigger lockout device for a clip applying instrument, the clip applying instrument having a squeezable trigger, a barrel having a plurality of serially-installed clips therein, and a pair of jaws operatively connected to the trigger and configured to crimp a clip of the plurality of serially-installed clips, the lockout device comprising: a displaceable slider operatively connected to and actuable by squeezing and unsqueezing the trigger such that said slider is slidable in opposite directions along a longitudinal axial direction of the barrel; a block disposed within the barrel; and a sliding member slidable along the axial direction and having a first section having at least one aperture, and a second section, said sliding member configured such that: when a first number of the plurality of serially-installed clips have not been applied and when the trigger is squeezed and unsqueezed, said sliding member distally slides along the axial direction, and said slider slidably engages and displaces said block into the at least one aperture of said first section of said sliding member and slides along a path in the axial direction to retrieve a clip of the first number of the plurality of serially-installed clips, and to insert the clip into the pair of jaws; and when a second number of the plurality of serially-installed clips have not been applied, the second number being between and including zero and a number less than the first number, said slider engages said block such that said block abuts said second section of said sliding member and is not displaced into the at least one aperture of said first section, and such that the abutment of said block and said second section substantially prevents said slider from sliding along the path in at least one of the opposite directions such that the trigger substantially cannot be unsqueezed.