Surgical staples, staple cartridges and surgical end effectors

• US 10,588,624 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Baxter, III, Chester O., Morgan, Jerome R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lynch, Robert A
• Application Number:
  US15/472,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20170245857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• 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 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• 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 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• 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 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

A surgical instrument assembly is disclosed. The surgical instrument assembly can include an instrument attachment interface, a shaft, a firing member, an articulation joint, and an end effector including a first jaw, a second jaw, an anvil, and a replaceable staple cartridge comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a slot, at least two rows of staple cavities, and a plurality of staples stored within the staple cavities. The staples can be deployed by the firing member. Each staple can include, one, a staple leg comprising planar surfaces and, two, a staple base, wherein the staple leg extends from the staple base, wherein the staple base comprises planar surfaces and a camming surface distally offset from the staple leg and configured to be directly engaged by the firing member, and wherein the staple leg is configured to be formed over the camming surface.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:

an instrument attachment interface;

a shaft extending from said instrument attachment interface;

a firing member movable between a fired position and an unfired position;

an articulation joint; and

an end effector configured to be articulated relative to said shaft about said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises;

a first jaw;

a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw;

an anvil; and

a replaceable staple cartridge, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a slot defining a first side of said staple cartridge and a second side of said staple cartridge;

at least two rows of staple cavities; and

a plurality of staples stored within said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be deployed by said firing member, wherein each said staple comprises;

a staple leg comprising planar surfaces; and

a staple base, wherein said staple leg extends from said staple base, and wherein said staple base comprises;

 

planar surfaces; and

 

a camming surface distally offset from said staple leg and configured to be directly engaged by said firing member, wherein said staple leg is configured to be formed over said camming surface.

2. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein said instrument attachment interface comprises a tool mounting portion configured to receive control motions from a surgical robot.

3. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 2, wherein said tool mounting portion comprises a motor.

4. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein said articulation joint comprises a first articulation joint and a second articulation joint, wherein said end effector is configured to be articulated about said first articulation joint in a first articulation plane and about said second articulation joint in a second articulation plane, and wherein said first articulation plane and said second articulation plane are different.

5. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rotary drive shaft, wherein said firing member is configured to be actuated by said rotary drive shaft.

6. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the deployment of said staples comprises a rotational force.

7. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:

an instrument attachment interface;

a shaft;

a firing system, comprising;

a firing member, comprising;

a cutting member;

a first jaw-camming portion; and

a second jaw-camming portion, wherein said first jaw-camming portion and said second jaw-camming portion are configured to control a tissue gap distance; and

a staple-deployment member movable between a fired position and an unfired position;

a closure system comprising a closure cam;

an articulation joint; and

an end effector configured to be articulated relative to said shaft about said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises;

a first jaw;

a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw when a closure motion is applied to said second jaw by said closure cam;

an anvil; and

a replaceable staple cartridge, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a slot defining a first side of said staple cartridge and a second side of said staple cartridge;

at least two rows of staple cavities; and

a plurality of staples stored within said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be ejected from said staple cavities by said staple-deployment member, wherein each said staple comprises;

a staple leg comprising planar sides; and

a staple base, wherein said staple leg extends from said staple base, and wherein said staple base comprises;

 

planar sides; and

 

a camming surface distally offset from said staple leg and configured to be engaged by said staple-deployment member, wherein said staple leg is configured to be formed over said camming surface.

8. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 7, wherein said instrument attachment interface comprises a tool mounting portion configured to receive control motions from a surgical robot.

9. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 8, wherein said tool mounting portion comprises a motor.

10. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 7, wherein said articulation joint comprises a first articulation joint and a second articulation joint, wherein said end effector is configured to be articulated about said first articulation joint in a first articulation plane and about said second articulation joint in a second articulation plane, and wherein said first articulation plane and said second articulation plane are different.

11. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 7, further comprising a rotary drive shaft, wherein said staple-deployment member is configured to be actuated by said rotary drive shaft.

12. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 7, wherein the ejection of said staples comprises a rotational force.

13. A surgical instrument assembly configured to be attached to a surgical robot, wherein said surgical instrument assembly comprises:

a tool mounting portion;

a shaft;

an articulation joint;

a sled movable between a fired position and an unfired position; and

an end effector configured to be articulated relative to said shaft about said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises;

a first jaw;

a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw;

an anvil; and

a replaceable fastener cartridge, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a slot defining a first side of said fastener cartridge and a second side of said fastener cartridge;

at least two rows of fastener cavities; and

a plurality of fasteners stored within said fastener cavities, wherein said fasteners are configured to be ejected from said fastener cavities by said sled, wherein each said fastener comprises;

a leg comprising planar edges; and

a crown, wherein said leg extends from said crown, and wherein said crown comprises;

 

planar edges; and

 

a camming surface distally offset from said leg and configured to be contacted by said sled, wherein said leg is configured to be deformed over said camming surface.

14. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 13, wherein said tool mounting portion comprises a motor.

15. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 13, wherein said articulation joint comprises a first articulation joint and a second articulation joint, wherein said end effector is configured to be articulated about said first articulation joint in a first articulation plane and about said second articulation joint in a second articulation plane, and wherein said first articulation plane and said second articulation plane are different.

16. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 13, further comprising a rotary drive shaft and a firing member, wherein said sled is movable between said unfired position and said fired position by said firing member, and wherein said firing member is configured to be actuated by said rotary drive shaft.

17. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 13, wherein the ejection of said fasteners comprises a rotational force.

18. A surgical stapling assembly, comprising:

a shaft;

a firing member movable between a fired position and an unfired position;

an articulation joint; and

an end effector configured to be articulated relative to said shaft about said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises;

a first jaw;

a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw; and

a replaceable staple cartridge, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a longitudinal slot defining a first lateral side of said staple cartridge and a second lateral side of said staple cartridge;

longitudinal rows of staple cavities; and

staples removably stored within said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be deployed by said firing member, wherein each said staple comprises;

a staple leg comprising planar surfaces; and

a staple base, wherein said staple leg extends from said staple base, and wherein said staple base comprises;

 

planar surfaces; and

 

a camming surface distally offset from said staple leg and configured to be directly engaged by said firing member, wherein said staple leg is configured to be formed over said camming surface.

19. A surgical stapling assembly, comprising:

a firing member movable between a fired position and an unfired position;

a cartridge body, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a longitudinal slot defining a first lateral side of said cartridge body and a second lateral side of said cartridge body; and

longitudinal rows of staple cavities; and

staples removably stored within said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be deployed by said firing member, wherein each said staple comprises;

a staple leg comprising planar surfaces; and

a staple base, wherein said staple leg extends from said staple base, and wherein said staple base comprises;

planar surfaces; and

a camming surface distally offset from said staple leg and configured to be directly engaged by said firing member, wherein said staple leg is configured to be formed over said camming surface.

20. A surgical stapling assembly, comprising:

a shaft;

a first jaw;

a second jaw;

a firing member, comprising;

a cutting member;

a first jaw-camming portion; and

a second jaw-camming portion, wherein said first jaw-camming portion and said second jaw-camming portion are configured to control a tissue gap distance between said first jaw and said second jaw;

a staple-deployment member movable between a fired position and an unfired position;

an articulation joint;

an end effector configured to be articulated relative to said shaft about said articulation joint; and

a replaceable staple cartridge, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a longitudinal slot defining a first lateral side of said replaceable staple cartridge and a second lateral side of said replaceable staple cartridge;

longitudinal rows of staple cavities; and

staples removably stored within said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be ejected from said staple cavities by said staple-deployment member, wherein each said staple comprises;

a staple leg comprising planar sides; and

a staple base, wherein said staple leg extends from said staple base, and wherein said staple base comprises;

planar sides; and

a camming surface distally offset from said staple leg and configured to be engaged by said staple-deployment member, wherein said staple leg is configured to be formed over said camming surface.

21. A surgical stapling assembly, comprising:

a staple-deployment member movable between a fired position and an unfired position;

a cartridge body, comprising;

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a longitudinal slot defining a first lateral side of said cartridge body and a second lateral side of said cartridge body; and

longitudinal rows of staple cavities; and

staples removably stored within said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be ejected from said staple cavities by said staple-deployment member, wherein each said staple comprises;

a staple leg comprising planar sides; and

a staple base, wherein said staple leg extends from said staple base, and wherein said staple base comprises;

planar sides; and

a camming surface distally offset from said staple leg and configured to be engaged by said staple-deployment member, wherein said staple leg is configured to be formed over said camming surface.