Release mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687246-B2
Application number	US-201414515188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	Oct 17, 2013
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

The disclosure provides a release mechanism, method of manufacturing, and method of releasing a medical device. The mechanism comprises a generally elongate shaft, an actuating member receivable in the elongate shaft, the actuating member having an interlocking position and a releasing position, and at least two opposed arms at a distal end of the elongate shaft, biased to open relative to each other, each arm comprising a gripping portion at a distal end, and at least one interlocking member. The gripping portions of the arms may define a hollow space for holding a device. The interlocking member of each arm is longitudinally spaced from the interlocking member of any other arm and extends circumferentially around the actuating member. The actuating member is longitudinally retractable from the interlocking position to the releasing position to enable the arms to open for releasing a medical device from the gripping portions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A release mechanism for releasing a medical device, the release mechanism comprising:
a generally elongate shaft defining a longitudinal axis;
an actuating member receivable in the elongate shaft, the actuating member having an interlocking position and a releasing position; and
at least two, mutually opposed arms at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the arms being biased to open relative to each other, each arm comprising:
a gripping portion at a distal end thereof,
at least one interlocking member, wherein the gripping portions of the arms at least partially define a hollow space for holding a medical device to be released, the interlocking member of each arm is longitudinally spaced from the interlocking member of any other arm, each interlocking member extends circumferentially around a sufficient proportion of the actuating member such that, when the actuating member is in the interlocking position, opening of the arms is prevented by interaction between the actuating member and the interlocking members, and the actuating member is longitudinally retractable from the interlocking position to the releasing position to enable the arms to open for releasing a medical device from the gripping portions; and
a connecting member, the connecting member of a first one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms is located generally opposite the interlocking member of a second one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms, and the connecting member of the second one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms is located generally opposite the interlocking member of the first one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms;

wherein each interlocking member defines a spacing between end portions of the respective interlocking member, the connecting member of the first one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms is interposed between the end portions of the interlocking member of the second one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms, and the connecting member of the second one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms is interposed between the end portions of the interlocking member of the first one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms.

2. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuating member comprises a substantially cylindrical, elongate member, and each interlocking member extends around more than 180° of the circumference of the actuating member when the actuating member is in the interlocking position.

3. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mutually opposed arms comprises a pair of arms, each having a longitudinal axis and, when the actuating member is in the interlocking position, the longitudinal axes of the arms are substantially parallel to each other.

4. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each interlocking member comprises a strip joined at least at one end, and at either end, of the strip to the respective arm and depending therefrom in the general direction of an opposing arm wherein each strip and respective arm together extend circumferentially around the actuating member to prevent opening of the arms.

5. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each arm has a generally arcuate inner surface, and each strip is generally arcuate such that the arcuate strip and respective arm together at least partially, and entirely, encircle the actuating member when the actuating member is in the interlocking position.

6. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each strip is integrally formed with a respective arm.

7. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each strip is defined by a pair of circumferential slits in a generally concave portion of the respective arm, the strip between the pair of circumferential slits being deflected inwardly in the general direction of an opposing arm, by pressing on the strips, to form a generally convex arcuate strip.

8. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least the arms or the elongate shaft are flexible, being formed from a flexible material, comprising a flexible polymeric material being polyimide.

9. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least the arms or the elongate shaft comprise a flexible metal alloy, being formed from a flexible metal alloy.

10. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the arms are integrally formed with the elongate shaft.

11. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the arms are laser cut from the distal end of the elongate shaft.

12. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuating member comprises a wire, the wire being retractable from a proximal end of the elongate shaft to move the actuating member to the releasing position to release the arms.

13. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hollow space at least partially defined by the gripping portions is configured for holding an embolic coil, an embolic coil having an enlarged head portion at a proximal end thereof, the head portion being substantially spherical.

14. The release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gripping portions of the arms define the distal end of the release mechanism and have a dimension generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate shaft that is less than the outer diameter of the elongate shaft so as not to increase the outer profile of the release mechanism when the actuating member is in the interlocking position and the arms are closed.

15. A method of manufacturing a release mechanism for releasing a medical device, the method comprising:
forming a hollow elongate shaft that defines a longitudinal axis; and
cutting to form at least two, mutually opposed arms at a distal end thereof such that the arms are biased to open when unconstrained, each arm having at least one interlocking member; a gripping portion; and a connecting member,
wherein the gripping portion located at the distal end of the arm, wherein the interlocking member of each arm is longitudinally spaced from the interlocking member of any other arm, the gripping portions are formed so as to at least partially define a hollow space for holding the medical device to be released, and the interlocking members are formed such that each interlocking member extends around a sufficient proportion of an actuating member receivable within the hollow elongate shaft such that opening of the arms is prevented by interaction between the actuating member and the interlocking members;
wherein the connecting member of a first one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms is located generally opposite the interlocking member of a second one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms, and the connecting member of the second one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms is located generally opposite the interlocking member of the first one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms;
wherein each interlocking member defines a spacing between end portions of the respective interlocking member, the connecting member of the first one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms is interposed between the end portions of the interlocking member of the second one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms, and the connecting member of the second one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms is interposed between the end portions of the interlocking member of the first one of the at least two, mutually opposed arms.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
cutting a first pair of circumferential slits into a first one of the at least two mutua

Assignees

• Cook Medical Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Torp Allan

Classifications

• A61B17/12022

  Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires (plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49996

  Successive distinct removal operations · CPC title

• A61B17/1214

  Coils or wires · CPC title

• A61B2017/12054

  Details concerning the detachment of the occluding device from the introduction device · CPC title

• Y10T29/49863

  with prestressing of part · CPC title