Surgical staple cartridge with improved staple driver configurations
First Claim
1. A surgical staple driver array for operable use with a surgical staple cartridge comprising an axially movable sled, wherein the axially movable sled comprises first and second camming members, and wherein said surgical staple driver array comprises:
- a distal staple driver slidably supportable in the surgical staple cartridge and configured to operably support a single distal surgical staple thereon that is oriented in a distal direction;
a plurality of intermediate staple drivers configured to be slidably supported in the surgical staple cartridge in series, wherein a distal most one of said intermediate staple drivers is adjacent to said distal staple driver, each of said intermediate staple drivers being configured to operably support a first surgical staple oriented in a first direction, a second surgical staple oriented in a second direction and a third surgical staple oriented in a third direction, wherein the first direction and the third direction are parallel to each other, wherein the second direction is transverse to the first direction and the third direction, wherein each said intermediate staple driver comprises a first camming surface extending transversely under a portion of the first surgical staple and being aligned for camming contact with said first camming member and a second camming surface extending transversely under a portion of the third surgical staple and being aligned for camming contact with the second camming member, and wherein each of said intermediate staple drivers is configured to hookingly engage corresponding portions of the surgical staple cartridge to slidably interlock each said intermediate staple driver to the surgical staple cartridge for slidable operable travel relative thereto in a direction that is transverse to an axis of the surgical staple cartridge; and
a proximal staple driver slidably supported adjacent a proximal most one of said intermediate staple drivers, said proximal staple driver configured to operably support a proximal surgical staple oriented in a proximal direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical staple driver array configured for operable use with a surgical staple cartridge. A distal staple driver is slidably supportable in the surgical staple cartridge and is configured to operably support a distal surgical staple thereon that is oriented in a distal direction. At least one intermediate staple driver is configured to be slidably supported in the surgical staple cartridge adjacent the distal staple driver. Each intermediate staple driver is configured to operably support a first surgical staple that is oriented in a first direction, a second surgical staple that is oriented in a second direction and a third surgical staple that is oriented in a third direction. A proximal staple driver is slidably supported adjacent a proximal most one of the intermediate staple drivers. The proximal staple driver is configured to operably support a proximal surgical staple thereon.
4114 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical staple driver array for operable use with a surgical staple cartridge comprising an axially movable sled, wherein the axially movable sled comprises first and second camming members, and wherein said surgical staple driver array comprises:
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a distal staple driver slidably supportable in the surgical staple cartridge and configured to operably support a single distal surgical staple thereon that is oriented in a distal direction; a plurality of intermediate staple drivers configured to be slidably supported in the surgical staple cartridge in series, wherein a distal most one of said intermediate staple drivers is adjacent to said distal staple driver, each of said intermediate staple drivers being configured to operably support a first surgical staple oriented in a first direction, a second surgical staple oriented in a second direction and a third surgical staple oriented in a third direction, wherein the first direction and the third direction are parallel to each other, wherein the second direction is transverse to the first direction and the third direction, wherein each said intermediate staple driver comprises a first camming surface extending transversely under a portion of the first surgical staple and being aligned for camming contact with said first camming member and a second camming surface extending transversely under a portion of the third surgical staple and being aligned for camming contact with the second camming member, and wherein each of said intermediate staple drivers is configured to hookingly engage corresponding portions of the surgical staple cartridge to slidably interlock each said intermediate staple driver to the surgical staple cartridge for slidable operable travel relative thereto in a direction that is transverse to an axis of the surgical staple cartridge; and a proximal staple driver slidably supported adjacent a proximal most one of said intermediate staple drivers, said proximal staple driver configured to operably support a proximal surgical staple oriented in a proximal direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
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an axially movable sled comprising first and second camming members; a cartridge body comprising a proximal end and a distal end; a distal staple driver movably supported in said cartridge body and configured to support a distal surgical staple thereon in a distal direction; a plurality of intermediate staple drivers movably supported in said cartridge body in series, wherein a distal most one of said intermediate staple drivers is adjacent to said distal staple driver, each said intermediate staple driver supporting a first surgical staple in a first direction, a second surgical staple in a second direction and a third surgical staple in a third direction, wherein the first direction and the third direction are parallel to each other, and wherein the second direction is transverse to the first direction and the third direction, wherein each said intermediate staple driver comprises a first camming surface extending transversely under a portion of the first surgical staple and being aligned for camming contact with said first camming member and a second camming surface extending transversely under a portion of the third surgical staple and being aligned for camming contact with the second camming member, and wherein each of said intermediate staple drivers is configured to hookingly engage corresponding portions of the surgical staple cartridge to slidably interlock each said intermediate staple driver to the surgical staple cartridge for slidable operable travel relative thereto in a direction that is transverse to an axis of the surgical staple cartridge; and a proximal staple driver slidably supported adjacent a proximal most one of said intermediate staple drivers, said proximal staple driver configured to operably support a proximal surgical staple oriented in a proximal direction. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an axially movable sled comprising first and second camming members; a surgical staple cartridge; a distal staple driver movably supported in said surgical staple cartridge, said distal staple driver configured to operably support a corresponding distal surgical staple thereon and comprising a first distal camming surface aligned for camming contact with said first camming member and a second distal camming surface aligned for camming contact with said second camming member; a plurality of intermediate staple drivers movably supported in said surgical staple cartridge in series, wherein a distal most one of said intermediate staple drivers is adjacent to said distal staple driver, each said intermediate staple driver supporting a corresponding first surgical staple, a corresponding second surgical staple, and a corresponding third surgical staple on staple cradles defined in each intermediate staple driver, each said intermediate staple driver comprising a first camming surface extending transversely under a portion of the first surgical staple and being aligned for camming contact with said first camming member and a second camming surface extending transversely under a portion of the third surgical staple and being aligned for camming contact with the second camming member, and wherein said first surgical staple is oriented parallel to said third surgical staple, and wherein said second surgical staple is oriented transverse to said first surgical staple and said second surgical staple; and a proximal staple driver slidably supported adjacent a proximal most one of said intermediate staple drivers, said proximal staple driver configured to operably support a corresponding proximal surgical staple thereon and comprising a first proximal camming surface aligned for camming contact with said first camming member and a second proximal camming surface aligned for camming contact with said second camming member.
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Specification