The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 16, 2021
Filed:
Apr. 21, 2017
Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US);
Jianxin Guo, Livingston, NJ (US);
Michael Nordmeyer, Pittstown, NJ (US);
Michael Cardinale, Morristown, NJ (US);
Simon Cohn, Lebanon, NJ (US);
Mark D. Kenyon, Ringoes, NJ (US);
Doug Souls, Andover, NJ (US);
Danial Paul Ferreira, Woodbridge, CT (US);
Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US);
Abstract
An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes an elongated shaft, a housing connected with the elongated shaft, a trigger, a gear train, and a firing system disposed in the housing. The trigger is squeezed for commencing a firing cycle. The firing system includes a storage reel, a spool connected to the storage reel, a drive wheel located distal to the storage reel and the spool, a constant torque spring having a proximal end connected to the spool and a distal end connected to the drive wheel, and a flexible member in contact with the drive wheel. The flexible member has a proximal end connected to the storage reel and a length configured to be driven by the drive wheel toward the distal end of the elongated shaft. During an energy storing stage, the gear train is coupled with the storage reel for rotating the storage reel in a counterclockwise direction, which, in turn, retracts and winds the flexible member onto the storage reel, which rotates the drive wheel in a counterclockwise direction and winds the constant torque spring from the spool onto the drive wheel for storing energy in the constant torque spring.