Staple cartridges and arrangements of staples and staple cavities therein
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A staple cartridge, comprising:
- a cartridge body comprising a longitudinal slot, wherein a plurality of staple cavities are defined in said cartridge body, and wherein said staple cavities are obliquely oriented relative to said longitudinal slot; and
a plurality of staples positioned in said staple cavities;
wherein said staple cavities in said cartridge body are arranged in a plurality of rows, and wherein said plurality of rows comprises;
a first row positioned on a first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein all of said staple cavities in said first row are obliquely oriented in a proximal direction toward said longitudinal slot, and wherein said staple cavities in said first row are separated by a first longitudinal gap;
a second row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said first row are longitudinally spaced from said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said second row by a first distance; and
a third row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein all of said staple cavities in said third row are obliquely oriented in a proximal direction toward said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities in said third row are separated by a third longitudinal gap, wherein said third longitudinal gap is larger than said first longitudinal gap, wherein said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said third row are longitudinally spaced from said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said second row by a second distance, wherein said second distance is different than said first distance, wherein said first row is closer to said longitudinal slot than said third row, and wherein said third row does not laterally overlap said first row.
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Abstract
A staple cartridge is disclosed. The staple cartridge can include a cartridge body having a plurality of staple cavities defined therein. The staple cavities can be obliquely oriented relative to a longitudinal axis of the staple cartridge. The staple cavities can be arranged in a plurality of rows including an inner row, an intermediate row, and an outer row. The lateral and/or longitudinal spacing and/or overlap between the staples in adjacent rows can vary to optimize the flexibility and/or sealing properties of the staple line. The size and orientation of the staples can also vary row-to-row and/or longitudinally.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A staple cartridge, comprising:
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a cartridge body comprising a longitudinal slot, wherein a plurality of staple cavities are defined in said cartridge body, and wherein said staple cavities are obliquely oriented relative to said longitudinal slot; and a plurality of staples positioned in said staple cavities; wherein said staple cavities in said cartridge body are arranged in a plurality of rows, and wherein said plurality of rows comprises; a first row positioned on a first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein all of said staple cavities in said first row are obliquely oriented in a proximal direction toward said longitudinal slot, and wherein said staple cavities in said first row are separated by a first longitudinal gap; a second row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said first row are longitudinally spaced from said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said second row by a first distance; and a third row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein all of said staple cavities in said third row are obliquely oriented in a proximal direction toward said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities in said third row are separated by a third longitudinal gap, wherein said third longitudinal gap is larger than said first longitudinal gap, wherein said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said third row are longitudinally spaced from said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said second row by a second distance, wherein said second distance is different than said first distance, wherein said first row is closer to said longitudinal slot than said third row, and wherein said third row does not laterally overlap said first row. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A staple cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body comprising a longitudinal slot, wherein a plurality of staple cavities are defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities are obliquely oriented relative to said longitudinal slot, wherein each said staple cavity comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said plurality of staple cavities are arranged in a plurality of rows, and wherein said plurality of rows comprises; a first row positioned on a first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities in said first row are oriented in a proximal direction toward said longitudinal slot, and wherein said staple cavities in said first row are separated by a first longitudinal gap; a second row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said proximal and distal ends of said staple cavities in said second row are longitudinally offset relative to said proximal and distal ends of said staple cavities in said first row; and a third row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities in said third row are oriented in a proximal direction toward said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities in said third row are separated by a third longitudinal gap, wherein said third longitudinal gap is larger than said first longitudinal gap, wherein said proximal and distal ends of said staple cavities in said third row are longitudinally offset relative to said proximal and distal ends of said staple cavities in said first row and said second row, wherein said first row is closer to said longitudinal slot than said third row, and wherein said third row does not laterally overlap said first row. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A staple cartridge, comprising:
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a plurality of staples; and a cartridge body comprising a longitudinal slot, wherein a plurality of staple cavities are defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staples are positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said staple cavities are angularly oriented relative to said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities are arranged in a plurality of rows, and wherein said plurality of rows comprises; a first row positioned on a first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein all of said staple cavities in said first row are oriented in a distal direction toward said longitudinal slot, and wherein said staple cavities in said first row are separated by a first longitudinal gap; a second row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said staples in said first row longitudinally overlap said staples in said second row by a first distance; and a third row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein all of said staple cavities in said third row are oriented in a distal direction toward said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities in said third row are separated by a third longitudinal gap, wherein said third longitudinal gap is larger than said first longitudinal gap, wherein said staples in said third row longitudinally overlap said staples in said second row by a second distance, wherein said second distance is different than said first distance, wherein said first row is closer to said longitudinal slot than said third row, and wherein said third row does not laterally overlap said first row.
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21. A staple cartridge, comprising:
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a cartridge body comprising a longitudinal slot, wherein a plurality of staple cavities are defined in said cartridge body, and wherein said staple cavities are obliquely oriented relative to said longitudinal slot; and a plurality of staples positioned in said staple cavities; wherein said staple cavities in said cartridge body are arranged in a plurality of rows, and wherein said plurality of rows comprises; a first row positioned on a first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities in said first row are obliquely oriented in a distal direction toward said longitudinal slot or all of said staple cavities in said first row are obliquely oriented in a distal direction, and wherein said staple cavities in said first row are separated by a first longitudinal gap; a second row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said first row are longitudinally spaced from said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said second row by a first distance; and a third row positioned on the first side of said longitudinal slot, wherein said staple cavities in said third row are obliquely oriented in a proximal direction or all of said staple cavities in said third row are obliquely oriented in a distal direction, wherein said staple cavities in said third row are separated by a third longitudinal gap, wherein said third longitudinal gap is larger than said first longitudinal gap, wherein said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said third row are longitudinally spaced from said staples positioned in said staple cavities in said second row by a second distance, wherein said second distance is different than said first distance, wherein said first row is closer to said longitudinal slot than said third row, and wherein said third row does not laterally overlap said first row.
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Specification