US 12,075,995 B2
Sealant applicators having mixing and spraying assemblies with malleable sections and spray tips having reduced dimensions
Jianxin Guo, Livingston, NJ (US); Xuelin Guo, Livingston, NJ (US); Joseph LoRicco, Hillsborough, NJ (US); and Gwan-Ywan Lai, Princeton Junction, NJ (US)
Assigned to Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US)
Filed by Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US)
Filed on Mar. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/710,122.
Prior Publication US 2023/0309978 A1, Oct. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/00491 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00495 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00522 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mixing and spraying assembly for a tissue sealant comprising:
a mixing assembly located at a proximal end of said mixing and spraying assembly;
a spray tip assembly located at a distal end of said mixing and spraying assembly; and
a malleable section having a proximal end connected with said mixing assembly and a distal end connected with said spray tip assembly for enabling said spray tip assembly to be angulated relative to said mixing assembly, the malleable section comprising a flexible shaft having a proximal end, distal end, and a length that extends between the proximal and distal ends thereof,
said malleable section further comprising:
a malleable wire conduit that extends along the length of said flexible shaft; and
a malleable wire disposed in said malleable wire conduit of said flexible shaft, said malleable wire having a length that is greater than the length of said flexible shaft, wherein said malleable wire has a proximal end that extends beyond the proximal end of said flexible shaft and that is connected to said mixing assembly and a distal end that extends beyond the distal end of said flexible shaft and that is connected to said spray tip assembly,
wherein the mixing assembly comprises:
a mixer housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a mixer housing conduit extending along a length of said mixer housing from the proximal end to the distal end of said mixer housing; and
a mixing element disposed within said mixer housing conduit, wherein the proximal end of said malleable wire that extends beyond the proximal end of said flexible shaft is secured to said mixing element,
wherein said mixing element comprises:
a static mixer having a center shaft that extends along a length of said static mixer, said center shaft of said static mixer having a proximal end and a distal end, and said static mixer having a plurality of mixing fins that are spaced from one another along the length of said static mixer; and
a blind hole formed in said center shaft of said static mixer that extends from the distal end of said center shaft toward the proximal end of said center shaft, the proximal end of said malleable wire being disposed in said blind hole formed in said center shaft of said static mixer for connecting the proximal end of said malleable wire to said static mixer.