U.S. Patent 8328064 was awarded to Covidien LP on 2012-12-11 and describes a “Pin locking mechanism for a surgical instrument.” This patent has been cited 252 times by other U.S. patents which places it in the top 500 cited patents since 2010 according to our law firm research, and makes it of the most innovative medical technology patents in the field of instruments. The abstract states:

A surgical instrument comprising a handle portion, an elongated portion defining a longitudinal axis and extending distally from the handle portion, and first and second jaw members dimensioned to clamp tissue therebetween. The first jaw member has at least one row of fasteners arranged in a row substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis. A pin is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the first jaw member and is movable between a first position where the engagement section is spaced from the second jaw member and a second position where the engagement section engages the second jaw member. The pin has a non-circular cross-section. Link: U.S. Patent 8328064

This patent was originally filed on 2010-04-05 which gives it a processing time of 981 days, compared to an average processing time of 983 in the field. Covidien LP has 3582 total patents. The first named inventor is Dino Kasvikis of Charleston, SC. The primary examiner was Scott A. Smith.

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