Double-row ratchet locking mechanism with single-bypass (‘arming’) functionality
Inventors
Atkinson, Ian • Filips, Dennis • Lakshminarasimhan, Prasanna • Dralle, Steve • Mottet, Kelly • Luddy, Chuck • McHugh, Kathleen • Haller, Christian Leon
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9687235-B2
Publication Date
2017-06-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a wound closure device including: (a) a first opposing member and a second opposing member disposed on opposing sides of a central axis, each resiliently moveable between a closed position and open position relative to each other, each of the opposing members having a distal edge; (b) skin penetrating means for anchoring the device; (c) a pressure bar along each distal edge; (d) releasable locking means for biasing or maintaining the device in the closed position; and optionally (e) an accessory component.
Core Innovation
A ratchet mechanism uses a first opposing disk and a second opposing disk rotationally engagable about a longitudinal axis. The disks move between an open position and a closed position, and movement from open to closed causes opposing rotational movement of each disk relative to one another. A plurality of engaging members disposed on opposing surfaces maintains the opposing disks in the closed position upon movement from open to closed, resisting opposing relative rotation in the closed state.
The engaging members are teeth radially disposed around each opposing surface. The engaging members of one disk are arranged as concentric outer and inner circles, with each circle radially offset relative to the other, thereby providing a double-row tooth geometry using radially disposed teeth arranged as concentric circles on one disk while the opposing disk provides the corresponding radially disposed engaging members for the opposing rotational engagement.
The ratchet mechanism includes a shaft extending along the longitudinal axis and a resilient member arranged along the longitudinal axis between the first disk and the second end of the shaft. Application of force to the first end of the shaft along the longitudinal axis disengages the plurality of engaging members, allowing opposing rotational movement of the disks from the closed position to the open position. A wound clamp device embodiment and a wound closure device embodiment are described in which the ratchet mechanism is deployed to the wound and the wound clamp is actuated to approximate skin tissue and close the wound closure device.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim clm-00001 covers a ratchet mechanism with opposing disks, radially arranged teeth including concentric outer and inner circles with radial offset, and axial disengagement through a shaft and a resilient member. The provided partial content also indicates dependent claims refine the tooth layout and the resilient member as a spring, and extend the ratchet mechanism into wound closure and medical-device systems including needles and pressure-bar/clamp components as well as a deployment/actuation method.
Opposing disks with teeth maintaining closed position
A first opposing disk and second opposing disk rotationally engagable about a longitudinal axis and movable between an open position and a closed position, where a plurality of engaging members disposed on opposing surfaces maintains the opposing disks in the closed position upon movement from open to closed.
Radially disposed engaging members with concentric offset circles
Teeth radially disposed around each opposing surface, where engaging members of one disk are arranged as concentric outer and inner circles and each circle is radially offset to the other.
Axial shaft with longitudinal extension between disks
A shaft having a first end and a second end extending from the second disk along the longitudinal axis toward the first disk.
Longitudinal resilient member that disengages engaging members
A resilient member arranged along the longitudinal axis between the first disk and the second end of the shaft, where application of force to the first end of the shaft along the longitudinal axis disengages the plurality of engaging members allowing opposing rotational movement of the disks from the closed position to the open position.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on a ratchet mechanism with opposing rotationally engagable disks held in a closed position by radially arranged engaging members, including concentric inner and outer circles with a radial offset on one disk, and disengaged by axially applied force through a shaft and a resilient member.
Stated Advantages
Increases closure resolution by using double-row tooth geometry with concentric circles arranged with radial offset.
Maintains the opposing disks in the closed position upon movement from the open position to the closed position.
Provides a one-time bypass/arming operation prior to permanent one-way locking, as described for the wound closure locking mechanism.
Documented Applications
A wound closure device embodiment is described, including deploying the wound closure device to a subject’s wound and actuating a wound clamp device to approximate skin tissue and close the wound closure device.
Example testing is described for leakage resistance and performance metrics, including leakage resistance at 180 mmHg for 30 s and arming/closing force performance, with pass criteria across multiple samples.
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