FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a surgical staple remover. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a surgical staple remover having a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The use of surgical staples in the medical industry for closing wounds or incisions in the skin of a patient has grown over the last decade due to its advantages over thread sutures. One of the main advantages of surgical staples over thread sutures is the reduced amount of time required for surgical staples to be implanted. In cases where large incisions are made, the use of surgical staples can reduce the length of time required for the suturing process and thus the length of time the patient being maintained under anesthesia.

[0003] Surgical staples include an elongated crown and an L-shaped portion on each end of the crown. When implanted in a patient, the crown is located on the exterior of the skin of the patient and the L-shaped portions are bent in a downward direction so that the ends of the L-shaped portions are opposed, thereby incising and gripping the skin. The surgical staple may be removed from the skin of a patient by bending the staple crown into a V-shaped configuration. Such bending causes the L-shaped legs of the staple to shift upwardly and outwardly so that the staple may be lifted away from the patient's skin.

[0004] A conventional surgical staple remover is shown in FIG. 1A. The conventional surgical staple remover 100 includes a first arm 110 having two picking teeth 111, and a second arm 120 having a pressing tooth 121. The first arm 110 and the second arm 120 are connected by a pivot 130. As shown in FIG. 1B, when removing a staple 1001, the two picking teeth 111 are inserted between the crown of the staple 1001 and a patient’s skin S. A user can grip the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 so that the pressing tooth 121 press down on the crown of the staple to bend the crown of the staple 1001 into the V-shaped configuration for removal, as shown in FIG. 1B. The conventional surgical staple remover is made by a combination of metal and plastic parts, resulting in high manufacturing cost and difficulties in recycling processes.

[0005] There is still a need to provide a surgical staple remover that has a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In view of above, the object of the present disclosure is to provide a structurally simplified surgical staple remover and low cost manufacturing method thereof.

[0007] To achieve the above object, surgical staple remover of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a main body. The main body has a longitudinal axis and comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and a flexible portion. The first end portion has a pressing element and a first pivot structure. The second end portion has a picking element and a second pivot structure. The flexible portion is connected between the first end portion and the second end portion. The first end portion, the flexible portion, and the second end portion are formed along the longitudinal axis of the main body. When the flexible portion is bent, the pressing element engages the picking element by the first pivot structure and the second pivot structure to allow the first end portion and the second end portion to rotate with respect to each other. In a preferred embodiment, the main body is formed by a single metal strip.

[0008] To achieve the above object, another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a surgical staple remover comprising a main body. The main body comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and a flexible portion. The first end portion has a pressing element and a first pivot structure. The second end portion has a picking element and a second pivot structure. The flexible portion is connected between the first end portion and the second portion. The pressing element engages with the picking element by the first pivot structure and the second pivot structure to allow the first end portion and the second end portion to rotate with respect to each other.

[0009] As described above, the surgical staple remover of the present disclosure uses a single metal strip to form a main body having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a flexible portion connected between the first end portion and the second end portion. When the flexible portion is bent, the first end portion and the second end portion are engaged to form a staple removing head. Therefore, the surgical staple remover of the embodiments of the present disclosure is simple in structure and less expensive to manufacture. Also, the surgical staple remover of the present disclosure has reduced size that can reduce the delivery cost and simplify the recycling process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.

[0011] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a conventional surgical staple removing device according to the prior art.

[0012] FIG. 1B is schematic diagram showing a removal process of a surgical staple by the surgical staple removing device of FIG. 1 A according to the prior art.

[0013] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a surgical staple remover according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure at an unbent state; FIG. 2B is a side view of a main body of the surgical staple remover of FIG. 2A; FIG. 2C is a top view of the main body of the surgical staple remover of FIG. 2A.

[0014] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the surgical staple remover of the first embodiment at a bent state; FIG. 3B is a side view of the surgical staple remover of FIG. 3A. [0015] FIGs. 4A and 4B are perspective views showing a removal process of a surgical staple by the surgical staple remover of FIG. 3A.

[0016] FIG 5 A is a perspective view of a surgical staple remover according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure at an unbent state; FIG 5B is a side view of the surgical staple remover of FIG 5A; FIG 5C is a top view of the surgical staple remover of FIG 5A.

[0017] FIG 6A is a perspective view of the surgical staple remover of the second embodiment at a bent state; FIG 6B is a side view of the surgical staple remover of FIG 6A.

[0018] FIG 7 is a perspective view of the surgical staple remover according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure at a bent state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0020] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms“a”,“an” and“the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises” and/or“comprising,” or“includes” and/or“including” or“has” and/or“having” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

[0021] It will be understood that the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, parts and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, parts and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, part or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, part or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0023] The description will be made as to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in FIGs. 2A to 7. Reference will be made to the drawing figures to describe the present disclosure in detail, wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by same or similar reference numeral through the several views and same or similar terminology.

[0024] The present disclosure will be further described hereafter in combination with the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Referring to FIGs. 2A to 3B, FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a surgical staple remover according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure at an unbent state. FIGs. 2B and 2C are respectively a side view and a top view of a main body of the surgical staple remover of FIG. 2A. FIGs. 3 A and 3B are respectively a perspective view and a side view of the surgical staple remover of the first embodiment at a bent state. As shown in FIGs. 2A to 2C, the surgical staple remover 200 of the first embodiment includes a main body 210 having a longitudinal axis. The main body 210 includes a first end portion 211, a second end portion

212, and a flexible portion 213. The first end portion 211 has a pressing element 21 la and a first pivot structure 21 lb. The second end portion 212 has a picking element 212a and a second pivot structure 212b. The flexible portion 213 is connected between the first end portion 211 and the second end portion 212. The first end portion 211, the flexible portion 213, and the second end portion 212 are formed along the longitudinal axis of the main body 210. In the first embodiment, the pressing element 21 la is a pressing tooth. The picking element 212a is two picking teeth parallel to each other.

[0026] As shown in FIGs 2A to 2C, when the surgical staple remover 200 is at the unbent state, the flexible portion 213 is unbent and has a flexible plane F2-F2. The pressing element 21 la has a first plane I-I. The picking element 212a has two second planes II-II, IF -IF. The flexible plane F2-F2 of the flexible portion 213 is perpendicular to the first plane I-I of the pressing element 2lla and the two second planes II-II, IF -IF of the picking element 2l2a. Specifically, the picking element 212a is two picking teeth parallel to each other; and the two second planes II-II, IF -IF are respectively surface planes of the two picking teeth. A gap 2l2c is formed between the two second planes II-II, IF -IF. A width of the gap 2l2c is slightly greater than a thickness of the pressing element 21 la. When the flexible portion 213 is bent and the surgical staple remover 200 is at the bent state, the first end portion 211 passes through the gap 212c and the first end portion 211 engages with the second end portion 212 by the first pivot structure 21 lb and the second pivot structure 212b. When the surgical staple remover is at the unbent state, the flexible portion 213 is unbent, and the main body 210 has a length L2 of 220 mm to 260 mm.

[0027] As shown in FIGs. 3A and 3B, when the flexible portion 213 is bent, the pressing element 2lla engages the picking element 2l2a by the first pivot structure 2l lb and the second pivot structure 212b to allow the first end portion 211 and the second end portion 212 to rotate with respect to each other. When the surgical staple remover 200 is at the bent state, the flexible portion 213 is bent, and the curved (bent) main body 210 has a length LB2 of 110 mm to 130mm and a height HB2 of 45 mm to 65 mm.

[0028] The main body 210 is formed by a single metal strip. The metal strip can be made of high-elastic alloys or stainless steel. The main body 210 further includes a first holding portion 214 and a second holding portion 215. The first holding portion 214 is connected between the first end portion 211 and the flexible portion 213. The second holding portion 215 is connected between the second end portion 213 and the flexible portion 213. The first holding portion 214 and the second holding portion 215 are rigid structures. The first holding portion 214 and the second holding portion 215 allow users to hold the surgical staple remover 200 and to provide a gripping force to the surgical staple remover 200, so that the first end portion 211 and the second end portion 212 can rotate with respect to each other. The main body 210 further includes a first neck portion 216 and a second neck portion 217. The first neck portion 216 is connected between the first end portion 211 and the first holding portion 214. The second neck portion 217 is connected between the second end portion 213 and the second holding portion 215. As shown in FIG. 2 A, in the first embodiment, the first pivot structure 21 lb and the second pivot structure 2l2b are respectively two pivot holes. The surgical staple remover 200 of the first embodiment further includes a pivot pin 220. When the first pivot structure 21 lb engages the second pivot structure 212b as shown in FIGs. 3 A and 3B, the pivot pin 220 is disposed in the first pivot structure 21 lb and the second pivot structure 2l2b. When the surgical staple remover 200 is at the bent state, the first end portion 211 and the second end portion 212 is rotatable with respect to each other about the pivot pin 220.

[0029] Referring to FIGs. 4A and 4B, perspective views showing a removal process of a surgical staple by the surgical staple remover 200 of FIG. 3 A are illustrated. When removing a staple 1002, the surgical staple remover 200 is at the bent state. The staple 1002 is clipped between the pressing element 21 la and the picking element 2l2a of the surgical staple remover 200. A user can grip the first holding portion 214 and the second holding portion 215 to cause the first end portion 211 and the second end portion 212 to rotate with respect to each other about the pivot pin 220. Therefore, the pressing element 21 la and the picking element 212a deform the staple 1002 so that the staple 1002 can be easily removed by the pressing element 21 la and the picking element 212a. The removal process can be referred to FIG. 1B without further description herein.

[0030] Referring to FIGs. 5A to 6B, FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a surgical staple remover according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure at an unbent state. FIGs.

5B and 5C are respectively a side view and a top view of the surgical staple remover of FIG. 5A. FIGs. 6A and 6B are respectively a perspective view and a side view of the surgical staple remover of the second embodiment at a bent state. The surgical staple remover 300 of the second embodiment comprises a main body 310 having a longitudinal axis. The main body 310 includes a first end portion 311, a second end portion 312, and a flexible portion 313. The first end portion 311 has a pressing element 31 la and a first pivot structure 31 lb. The second end portion 312 has a picking element 312a and a second pivot structure 312b. The flexible portion 313 is connected between the first end portion 311 and the second end portion 312. The first end portion 311, the flexible portion 313, and the second end portion 312 are formed along the longitudinal axis of the main body 310. In the first embodiment, the pressing element 31 la is a pressing tooth. The picking element 312a is two picking teeth parallel to each other. The pressing element 31 la can pass through between the two picking teeth to clip and deform a staple, as shown in FIG. 4B.

[0031] As shown in FIGs. 5 A to 5C, when the surgical staple remover 300 is at the unbent state, the flexible portion 313 is unbent and has a flexible plane F3-F3. The pressing element 3 lla has a first plane III-III. The picking element 3l2a has two second plane IV-IV, IV’-IV’. Specifically, the picking element 312a is two picking teeth parallel to each other; and the two second planes IV-IV, IV’-IV’ are respectively surface planes of the two picking teeth. The flexible plane F3-F3 of the flexible portion 313 is perpendicular to the first plane III-III of the pressing element 31 la and the second planes IV-IV, IV’-IV’ of the picking element 3l2a. A gap 312c is formed between the two second planes IV-IV, IV’-IV’. A width of the gap 312c is slightly greater than a thickness of the pressing element 31 la. When the flexible portion 313 is bent and the surgical staple remover 300 is at the bent state, the first end portion 311 passes through the gap 312c and the first end portion 311 engages with the second end portion 312 via the first pivot structure 31 lb and the second pivot structure 3l2b. When the surgical staple remover 300 is at the unbent state, the flexible portion 313 is unbent, and the main body 310 has a length L3 of 220 mm to 260 mm.

[0032] As shown in FIGs. 6A and 6B, when the flexible portion 313 is bent, the pressing element 31 la engages the picking element 3 l2a by the first pivot structure 31 lb and the second pivot structure 312b to allow the first end portion 311 and the second end portion 312 to rotate with respect to each other. When the surgical staple remover 300 is at the bent state, the flexible portion 313 is bent, and the curved (bent) main body 310 has a length LB 3 of 110 mm to 130 mm and a height HB3 of 45 mm to 65 mm.

[0033] The main body 310 is formed by a single metal strip. The metal strip can be made of high-elastic alloys or stainless steel. The main body 310 further includes a first holding portion 314 and a second holding portion 315. The first holding portion 314 is connected between the first end portion 311 and the flexible portion 313. The second holding portion 315 is connected between the second end portion 313 and the flexible portion

313. The first holding portion 314 and the second holding portion 315 are rigid structures. The first holding portion 314 and the second holding portion 315 allow users to hold the surgical staple remover 300 and to provide a gripping force to the surgical staple remover 300, so that the first end portion 311 and the second end portion 312 can rotate with respect to each other. The main body 310 further includes a first neck portion 316 and a second neck portion 317. The first neck portion 316 is connected between the first end portion 311 and the first holding portion 314. The second neck portion 317 is connected between the second end portion 313 and the second holding portion 315.

[0034] As shown in FIGs. 5A to 5C, in the second embodiment, the first pivot structure

31 lb is a pivot hole; and the second pivot structure 3l2b is a pin structure. When the first pivot structure 31 lb engages the second pivot structure 3 l2b, the second pivot structure 3l2b is disposed in the first pivot structure 31 lb, as shown in FIGs 6A and 6B. The first end portion 311 further includes a notch 3 llc connecting with the first pivot structure 31 lb. When the flexible portion 313 is bent, the second pivot structure 312b is disposed in the first pivot structure through the notch 3 llc. When the surgical staple remover 300 is at the bent state, the first end portion 311 and the second end portion 312 is rotatable with respect to each other about the second pivot structure 312b. The staple removal process of the surgical staple remover 300 of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment without further description herein.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 7, a perspective view of the surgical staple remover according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. The surgical staple remover 400 of the third embodiment includes a main body 410. The main body 410 includes a first end portion 411, a second end portion 412, and a flexible portion 413. The first end portion 211 has a pressing element 41 la and a first pivot structure 41 lb. The second end portion 412 has a picking element 412a and a second pivot structure 412b. The flexible portion 413 is connected between the first end portion 411 and the second end portion 412. In the third embodiment, the picking element 4l2a is a triangle plate having a through hole 4l2c. The pressing element 4l la is a triangle protrusion. A shape of the pressing element 4lla is matching with a shape of the through hole 412c, so that the pressing element 41 la can pass through the through hole 4l2c to clip and deform a staple (similar to FIG. 4B). As shown in FIG. 7, when the surgical staple remover is at a bent state, the pressing element 41 la engages the picking element 412a by the first pivot structure 41 lb and the second pivot structure 412b to allow the first end portion 411 and the second end portion 412 to rotate with respect to each other. When the flexible portion 413 is bent, the through hole 412c allows the pressing element 41 la to pass through.

[0036] The main body 410 is formed by a single metal strip. The metal strip can be made of high-elastic alloys or stainless steel. The main body 410 further includes a first holding portion 414 and a second holding portion 415. The first holding portion 414 is connected between the first end portion 411 and the flexible portion 413. The second holding portion 415 is connected between the second end portion 413 and the flexible portion 413. The first holding portion 414 and the second holding portion 415 are rigid structures. The first holding portion 414 and the second holding portion 415 allow users to hold the surgical staple remover 400 and to provide a gripping force to the surgical staple remover 400, so that the first end portion 411 and the second end portion 412 can rotate with respect to each other. The main body 410 further includes a first neck portion 416 and a second neck portion 417. The first neck portion 416 is connected between the first end portion 411 and the first holding portion 414. The second neck portion 417 is connected between the second end portion 413 and the second holding portion 415. The first neck portion 416, the second neck portion 417, the first holding portion 414, the second holding portion 415, and the flexible portion 413 of the third embodiment are similar to those that of the first embodiment and the second embodiment. The first pivot structure 41 lb and the second pivot structure 412b are respectively two pivot holes. The surgical staple remover 400 of the third embodiment further includes a pivot pin 420. The first pivot structure 21 lb engages the second pivot structure 212b. The pivot pin 420 is disposed in the first pivot structure 41 lb and the second pivot structure 412b. The first end portion 411 and the second end portion 412 is rotatable with respect to each other about the pivot pin 420. The first pivot structure 41 lb, the second pivot structure 4l2b, and the pivot pin 420 are similar to those of the first embodiment. The staple removal process of the surgical staple remover 400 of the third embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment without further description herein.

[0037] As described above, the surgical staple remover and manufacturing method thereof use a single metal strip to form a main body having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a flexible portion connected between the first end portion and the second end portion. When the flexible portion is bent, the first end portion and the second end portion are engaged to form a staple removing head. Therefore, the surgical staple remover of the embodiments of the present disclosure is simple in structure and less expensive to manufacture. Also, the surgical staple remover of the present disclosure has reduced size that can reduce the delivery cost and simplify the recycling process.

[0038] The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of a surgical staple remover. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.