Parallel jaw spring clip and method of making same

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The clip of the present invention comprises inner and outer telescopically interengaged elongate carriers fabricated of a resilient polymeric material.
Each carrier has a generally cylindrical side wall, an elongate passage open at one end and closed at the other end, and a jaw fixed to an extending radially from the carrier adjacent said one end.
The outer carrier is provided with diametrically aligned slots which open into the elongate passage therein.
One of the slots has closed ends and is disposed intermediate the jaw element and the closed end of the carrier.
The other slot opens through the open end of the carrier.
In assembly, the inner carrier is passed through the other slot of the outer carrier to direct the jaw element of the inner carrier through the radially aligned slots and snap the inner carrier into telescopic engagement with the passage of the outer carrier.
Simultaneously with the passing of the inner carrier laterally through the other slot of the outer carrier, a compression coil spring is interposed between the closed ends of the carriers.
A principal object of the invention is to provide a disposable parallel jaw spring clip for surgical use wherein the elements of the clip may be assembled without the necessity of steps requiring bonding or adherence.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a clip of a simplified construction having a minimum number of parts.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide such a clip having improved guide elements incorporated into the carriers for the jaw elements.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a clip incorporating an improved guide element for the coil spring embodied in the clip, which guide element facilitates placement of the spring simultaneously with assembly of the carrier elements into telescopically interengaged relationship.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a clip wherein the carrier elements of the clip are disposed in telescopic interengagement by moving one carrier laterally into the other