ACTUATOR FOR RELEASING A LAYER OF MATERIAL FROM A SURGICAL END EFFECTOR
First Claim
1. An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
- an anvil;
a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fastener cavities;
a plurality of fasteners, wherein each said fastener is removably positioned in a said fastener cavity;
a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge;
a connector, wherein said connector secures said piece of buttress material intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge at a location, and wherein the location is distal to at least one said fastener cavity; and
an actuator configured to overcome said connector when actuated, wherein said actuator overcomes said connector prior to the removal of said fasteners from said fastener cavities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument. The end effector assembly can comprise an anvil, a fastener cartridge including fastener cavities, fasteners removably positioned in the fastener cavities, a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate the anvil and the fastener cartridge, a connector, and an actuator configured to overcome the connector when actuated. The connector can secure the piece of buttress material relative to the anvil or the fastener cartridge at a location that is distal to at least one fastener cavity. The actuator can overcome the connector prior to the removal of the fasteners from the fastener cavities. Further, the actuator can extend past the fasteners in the fastener cavities, and can be actuated proximal to the fastener cavities.
694 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
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an anvil; a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fastener cavities; a plurality of fasteners, wherein each said fastener is removably positioned in a said fastener cavity; a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge; a connector, wherein said connector secures said piece of buttress material intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge at a location, and wherein the location is distal to at least one said fastener cavity; and an actuator configured to overcome said connector when actuated, wherein said actuator overcomes said connector prior to the removal of said fasteners from said fastener cavities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
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an anvil; a fastener cartridge comprising a fastener cavity; a fastener removably positioned in said fastener cavity; a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge; an connector, wherein said connector secures said piece of buttress material to one of said anvil or said fastener cartridge, and wherein said connector is positioned distal to said fastener cavity; and an actuator configured to overcome said connector when actuated, wherein said actuator extends past said fastener in said fastener cavity, and wherein said actuator is actuated proximal to said fastener cavity. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
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a proximal portion and a distal portion; an anvil; a fastener cartridge comprising a fastener cavity; a fastener removably positioned in said fastener cavity; buttressing means for buttressing, wherein said buttressing means is releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge; attachment means for securing said buttressing means intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge at said distal portion; and releasing means for releasing said buttressing means, wherein said releasing means is actuated at said proximal portion, and wherein said releasing means moves past said fastener in said fastener cavity to overcome said attachment means when actuated.
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22. A fastener cartridge assembly for use with a fastening instrument, said fastener cartridge assembly comprising:
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a cartridge body, comprising; a proximal end portion; a distal end portion; and a plurality of fastener cavities; a plurality of fasteners, wherein said fasteners are ejected from said fastener cavities during a portion of a firing stroke of the fastening instrument; buttressing means for buttressing the tissue, wherein said buttressing means is releasably attached to said cartridge body; first attachment means for attaching said buttressing means to said proximal end portion of said cartridge body; second attachment means for attaching said buttressing means to said distal end portion of said cartridge body; and releasing means for releasing said buttressing means from said cartridge body by overcoming said first attachment means and said second attachment means during an initial portion of the firing stroke. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification