STAPLE DRIVE ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. A staple drive assembly comprising:
- a cartridge;
an actuation sled disposed in the cartridge;
at least one first staple pusher having two pusher plates, the at least one first pusher being adapted to eject two staples and disposed at a proximal portion of the cartridge;
at least one second staple pusher having four pusher plates, the at least one second pusher being adapted to eject staples and disposed at a distal portion of the cartridge; and
at least one third staple pusher having three pusher plates, the at least one third pusher being adapted to eject a plurality of staples and disposed in the cartridge in between the at least one first staple pusher and the at least one second staple pusher.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A staple drive assembly includes an actuation sled and at least one staple pusher. The staple drive assembly is adapted to fit within a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples and a corresponding number of retention slots. The at least one staple pusher includes at least one pusher plate for releasably engaging a backspan of a staple. The staple pusher may include a plurality of pusher plates that may be laterally and longitudinally spaced apart. An actuation member has at least one angled camming surface for engaging a complimentary angled surface of the at least one staple pusher. Camming engagement between the actuation member and the at least one staple pusher causes vertical movement of the at least one staple pusher. Lateral and longitudinal offset of the actuation member camming surfaces and the corresponding staple pusher following surfaces improves stability and control of the staple pusher during firing.
95 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A staple drive assembly comprising:
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a cartridge; an actuation sled disposed in the cartridge; at least one first staple pusher having two pusher plates, the at least one first pusher being adapted to eject two staples and disposed at a proximal portion of the cartridge; at least one second staple pusher having four pusher plates, the at least one second pusher being adapted to eject staples and disposed at a distal portion of the cartridge; and at least one third staple pusher having three pusher plates, the at least one third pusher being adapted to eject a plurality of staples and disposed in the cartridge in between the at least one first staple pusher and the at least one second staple pusher. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A staple drive assembly, comprising:
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a cartridge; an actuation sled disposed in the cartridge; at least one first staple pusher having one pusher plate, the at least one first staple pusher being adapted to eject one staple and disposed at a proximal portion of the cartridge; at least one second staple pusher having four pusher plates, the at least one second staple pusher being adapted to eject at least four staples and disposed at a distal portion of the cartridge; and at least one third staple pusher having three pusher plates, the at least one third staple pusher being adapted to eject a plurality of staples and disposed in the cartridge between the at least one first staple pusher and the at least one second staple pusher. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A staple drive assembly comprising:
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a cartridge; an actuation sled disposed in the cartridge; a first staple pusher disposed at a proximal portion of the cartridge; a second staple pusher disposed at a distal portion of the cartridge; and a third staple pusher disposed in between the first staple pusher and the second staple pusher, the third staple pusher having three pusher plates, the first staple pusher having fewer than three pusher plates, and the second staple pusher having greater than three pusher plates. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A staple drive assembly comprising:
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a cartridge; an actuation sled disposed in the cartridge; and a plurality of staple pushers, at least one of the staple pushers having four pusher plates including two distal pusher plates, a middle pusher plate laterally spaced between the distal pusher plates and axially offset from the distal pusher plates, and a proximal pusher plate. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification