Elongated assemblies for surgical clip appliers and surgical clip appliers incorporating the same

Abstract

A surgical clip applier and an elongated assembly of a surgical clip applier are disclosed. The elongated assembly includes an outer shaft, an end effector assembly extending distally from the outer shaft and including first and second spaced-apart arms having respective first and second jaws disposed at free ends thereof, and an inner drive sleeve disposed within the outer shaft including a bearing assembly slidably disposed about the end effector assembly. The bearing assembly includes first ball bearing(s) and second ball bearing(s) positioned adjacent the first and second spaced-apart arms, respectively. Sliding of the bearing assembly from a proximal position to a distal position rolls the first and second ball bearings about the spaced-apart arms to urge the arms towards one another, thereby moving the first and second jaws from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to apply a surgical clip about tissue disposed between the first and second jaws.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An elongated assembly of a surgical clip applier, comprising:
 an outer shaft;   an end effector assembly disposed partially within and extending distally from the outer shaft, the end effector assembly including first and second spaced-apart arms and first and second jaws disposed at free ends of the first and second spaced-apart arms, respectively; and   an inner drive sleeve disposed within the outer shaft including a bearing assembly slidably disposed about the end effector assembly, the bearing assembly including at least one first ball bearing positioned adjacent the first spaced-apart arm and at least one second ball bearing positioned adjacent the second spaced-apart arm, wherein sliding of the bearing assembly from a proximal position to a distal position rolls the at least one first ball bearing and the at least one second ball bearing about the first and second spaced-apart arms, respectively, to urge the first and second spaced-apart arms towards one another, thereby moving the first and second jaws from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to apply a surgical clip about tissue disposed between the first and second jaws.