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:
May. 27, 1997
Filed:
Feb. 15, 1995
Tracie L Beideman, Pembroke Pines, FL (US);
Gary R Dill, Lauderhill, FL (US);
Kevin F Hahnen, Cooper City, FL (US);
Thomas O Bales, Coral Gables, FL (US);
Symbiosis Corporation, Miami, FL (US);
Abstract
A snap-fit collar for coupling the end of a flexible coil to a part of an endoscopic instrument is a substantially cylindrical member having a first end portion with a stop flange, a resilient tapered locking flange spaced apart from the stop flange defining a waist or groove between the stop flange and the locking flange, and second end portion having a pair of cantilevered substantially semi-cylindrical legs. The first end portion is preferably frustroconical and flares diametrically outward to form the stop flange which has a first diameter. The waist or groove has a second diameter which is smaller than the first diameter. The tapered locking flange is also preferably frustroconical and tapers diametrically inward from a third diameter which is larger than the second diameter. Each of the legs is inclined diametrically outward and includes a plurality of coil engaging ribs on its inner surface. The outer surface of each leg is preferably provided with a longitudinal key and the free end of each leg is preferably tapered radially inward. The collar has a throughbore which extends through the first end portion to the space between the legs. An endoscopic instrument actuator and a clevis for use with the snap-fit collar each include a throughbore having a step and a pair of diametrically opposed keyways which extend into at least a portion of the throughbore wall.