End effector for use with a surgical fastening instrument

• US 10,448,952 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2016
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Morgan, Jerome R., Hess, Christopher J., Weisenburgh, II, William B., Voegele, James W., Uth, Joshua R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US15/242,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20160354085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 2271751, 2271761
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/34 Trocars; Puncturing needles pointed biopsy instruments A61B10/0233; devices for piercing the ear-lobes A44C7/001; seals or hemostasis valves A61M39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00831 Material properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07242 achieving different staple heights during the same shot, e.g. using an anvil anvil having different heights or staples of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 : with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 : characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 : characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 : characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 : Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 : Guides for cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 : using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/032 : pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 : abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 : Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

A staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body is disclosed. The cartridge body comprises staple cavities defined in the cartridge body. The staple cavities are arranged in an inner longitudinal row of staple cavities, a middle longitudinal row of staple cavities, and an outer longitudinal row of staple cavities. The staple cartridge also comprises a proximal staple driver configured to eject a first quantity of staples. The staple cartridge also comprises an intermediate staple driver positioned distally to the proximal staple driver, wherein the intermediate staple driver is configured to eject a second quantity of staples. The staple cartridge further comprises a distal staple driver positioned distally to the intermediate staple driver, wherein the distal staple driver is configured to eject a third quantity of staples.

Claims

1. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a knife slot; and

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities are arranged in an inner longitudinal row of staple cavities, a middle longitudinal row of staple cavities, and an outer longitudinal row of staple cavities on one side of said knife slot;

staples removably stored within said staple cavities;

a proximal staple driver configured to eject a first quantity of staples from said staple cavities;

an intermediate staple driver positioned distally with respect to said proximal staple driver and configured to eject a second quantity of staples from said staple cavities which is different than said first quantity, wherein said second quantity of staples includes a staple from said inner longitudinal row of staple cavities and a staple from said outer longitudinal row of staple cavities; and

a distal staple driver positioned distally with respect to said intermediate staple driver and configured to eject a third quantity of staples, wherein said third quantity of staples is the same as said first quantity of staples.

2. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein said proximal staple driver and said distal staple driver are each configured to eject four staples.

3. The staple cartridge of claim 2, wherein said intermediate staple driver is configured to eject at least three staples.

4. A stapling assembly, comprising:

a tissue-cutting knife comprising a cutting edge;

an anvil jaw, comprising;

forming pockets; and

a longitudinal anvil slot configured to receive said tissue-cutting knife; and

a cartridge jaw, comprising;

a cartridge body, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

longitudinal rows of staple cavities; and

a longitudinal cartridge slot extending from said proximal end toward said distal end, wherein said longitudinal cartridge slot is configured to receive said tissue-cutting knife;

staples removably stored in said longitudinal rows of staple cavities;

staple drivers; and

a sled configured to urge said staple drivers toward said forming pockets during a firing stroke of said tissue-cutting knife, wherein said sled comprises a center body configured to move from said proximal end toward said distal end along a path during said firing stroke, and wherein said proximal end of said cartridge body comprises a projection extending into said longitudinal cartridge slot along said path of said center body of said sled.

5. The stapling assembly of claim 4, wherein said tissue-cutting knife comprises a first lateral projection configured to engage said anvil jaw and a second lateral projection configured to engage said cartridge jaw.