Clip and clip assembly

Abstract

An endoscopic device, includes a clip assembly and a driving assembly. The clip assembly includes a first jaw, a second jaw, a pivot, a housing having an internal channel, and a release portion connecting to the first and second jaws. At least a portion of the first and second jaws is disposed within the internal channel, the first and second jaws selectively move along with the internal channel. The driving assembly includes an outer sheath, an inner tube, movably disposed within the outer sheath, and a driver, movably disposed within the inner tube, and removably received within the release portion. The driver is unbrokenly released from the release portion by a predetermined pull force. The housing and the outer sheath form a releasable handshake engagement. The inner tube extending into the housing prevents the handshake engagement from disengaging.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An endoscopic device comprising:
 a clip assembly comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw; and 
 a release portion connecting a proximal portion of the first jaw and a proximal portion of the second jaw, the release portion including an opening extending through a proximal end of the release portion; and 
   a driving assembly operably interfacing with the clip assembly, the driving assembly comprising:
 a sheath; and 
 a driver movably disposed within the sheath, a distal portion of the driver operably extending through the opening of the release portion; 
   wherein at least one jaw is movable between an open position and a closed position via movement of the driver relative to the sheath; and   wherein the distal portion of the driver is configured to operatively couple the driving assembly with the clip assembly when the distal portion of the driver is disposed distally from the opening of the release portion and is configured to be proximally retracted through the opening of the release portion via a predetermined proximal pull force to decouple the driving assembly from the clip assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The endoscopic device of  claim 1 , wherein the distal portion of the driver includes a tag with a leg extending radially outwardly configured to operably retain the driver in the release portion. 
     
     
         3 . The endoscopic device of  claim 2 , wherein the leg of the driver is configured to move radially inward via the predetermined proximal pull force such that the distal portion of the driver may be retracted through the opening of the release portion. 
     
     
         4 . The endoscopic device of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the driver comprises a ball configured to operably retain the distal portion of the driver in the release portion distally from the opening. 
     
     
         5 . The endoscopic device of  claim 4 , further comprising a pull wire operably extending through the opening of the release portion;
 wherein the pull wire prevents the ball from retracting through the opening when the pull wire extends through the opening and allows the ball to be retracted through opening when the pull wire is proximally retracted from the opening.   
     
     
         6 . The endoscopic device of  claim 1 , wherein a laterally outer portion of at least one jaw includes a retention fin configured to prevent a collar from sliding away from a distal end of the at least one jaw. 
     
     
         7 . The endoscopic device of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the driver is compressible between a first diameter that is larger than the opening and a second diameter that is smaller than the opening. 
     
     
         8 . The endoscopic device of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pull force is greater than a force which moves the at least one jaw from the open position to the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . An endoscopic device comprising:
 a clip assembly comprising:
 a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein at least one jaw is operable to move between an open position and a closed position; 
 a housing having an internal channel and a longitudinal groove at a proximal end of the housing, wherein the at least one jaw is operable to move along the internal channel; and 
   a driving assembly operably interfacing with the clip assembly, wherein the driving assembly includes:
 an outer sheath operably coupled with the housing, the outer sheath having a longitudinal groove at a distal end of the outer sheath; 
 an inner tube movably disposed within the outer sheath and at least one boss extending radially outwardly and slidably disposed within the longitudinal grooves of the housing and the outer sheath; and 
 a driver movably disposed within the inner tube; and 
   wherein the at least one jaw is longitudinally movable by movement of the driver relative to the inner tube and is movable between the open position and the closed position by movement of the inner tube relative to the outer sheath; and   wherein the at least one boss maintains the coupling between the housing and the outer sheath when the at least one boss is disposed in the longitudinal grooves of the housing and the outer sheath and decouples the outer sheath from the housing when the at least one boss is proximally retracted from the longitudinal groove of the housing.   
     
     
         10 . The endoscopic device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one boss prevents rotation of the housing relative to the outer sheath when the at least one boss is disposed in the longitudinal grooves of the housing and the outer sheath. 
     
     
         11 . The endoscopic device of  claim 9 , wherein the inner sheath abuts an inner surface of the outer sheath and an inner surface of the housing when the at least one boss is disposed in the longitudinal grooves of the housing and the outer sheath. 
     
     
         12 . The endoscopic device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one boss comprises two aligned bosses. 
     
     
         13 . An endoscopic device comprising:
 a clip assembly comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw; and 
 a housing having an internal channel and slots on opposite sides of the internal channel, wherein the at least one jaw is operable to move along the internal channel; and 
   a driving assembly operably interfacing with the clip assembly, the driving assembly comprising:
 a sheath; and 
 a driver movably disposed within the sheath, a distal end of the driver having two arms extending radially outwardly and each being operably disposed in one of the slots of the housing to couple the clip assembly to the driving assembly; 
   wherein at least one jaw is movable between an open position and a closed position via movement of the driver relative to the sheath;   wherein the sheath is distally movable relative to the driver to abut the arms of the driver; and   wherein distal movement of the sheath at a predetermined force move the arms radially inwardly to retract from the slots of the housing to decouple the clip assembly from the driving assembly.   
     
     
         14 . The endoscopic device of  claim 13 , wherein each of the arms of the driver couple with the housing via friction. 
     
     
         15 . The endoscopic device of  claim 13 , wherein each of the arms of the driver couple with the housing via a taper. 
     
     
         16 . The endoscopic device of  claim 13 , wherein a proximal portion of each arm extends distally and radially outward and a distal end of each arm extends substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the driver; and
 wherein the distal end of each arm operably engages one of the slots of the housing.   
     
     
         17 . An endoscopic device comprising:
 a clip assembly comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw; and 
 a release portion connecting a proximal portion of the first jaw and a proximal portion of the second jaw, the release portion having at least one first aperture oriented perpendicularly to the jaws near a proximal end of the release portion; and 
   a driving assembly operably interfacing with the clip assembly, the driving assembly comprising:
 a sheath; 
 a driver movably disposed within the sheath, the driver having a second aperture oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the driver near a distal end of the driver; 
 a link pin operably disposed through the at least one first aperture and the second aperture to operably couple the clip assembly with the driving assembly; 
   wherein at least one jaw is movable between an open position and a closed position via movement of the driver relative to the sheath; and   wherein proximal retraction of the driver at a predetermined pull force retracts the link pin from the at least one first aperture and the second aperture to decouple the clip assembly from the driving assembly.   
     
     
         18 . The endoscopic device of  claim 17 , wherein the link pin is a cotter pin. 
     
     
         19 . The endoscopic device of  claim 17 , wherein the proximal end of the release portion comprises a fork with two legs, each leg having one first aperture; and
 wherein the link pin is operably disposed through each of the first apertures and the second aperture to operably couple the clip assembly with the driving assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The endoscopic device of  claim 17 , wherein proximal retraction of the driver at the predetermined pull force bends the link pin out of the first apertures to decouple the clip assembly from the driving assembly.