FASTENER CARTRIDGE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A DRIVER AND STAPLE CAVITY ARRANGEMENT

• US 20130334288A1
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV
• Granted Patent: US 9,848,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/180.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• 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 2017/07242 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 2017/07264 characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 5/0292 with the objects to be stapled together introduced perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the tool in an opening formed by an anvil and a plunger

Abstract

A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil portion that is selectively movable between open and closed positions is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention include a cartridge body that movably supports first and second staple drivers. The staple drivers each support a staple thereon and serve to drive the staples into forming contact with the anvil upon actuation by the actuator. The various embodiments of the present invention enable the final formed heights of the staples to be varied without the need to use different sizes of staples.

Claims

1. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge housing;

a knife channel dividing said cartridge housing into a first side and a second side;

a first row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing, wherein said first row of staple pockets is adjacent said knife channel;

a second row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing, wherein said second row of staple pockets is adjacent to said first row of staple pockets, and wherein said staple pockets in said first row are staggered distally with respect to said staple pockets in said second row;

a third row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing;

staples removably positioned within said staple pockets; and

a staple driver configured to drive a first staple out of a staple pocket in said first row and a second staple out of a staple pocket in said second row and, in cooperation with an opposing anvil, deform said first staple to a first fired height and said second staple to a second fired height, wherein said first fired height is different than said second fired height.

2. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein said first fired height is shorter than said second fired height.

3. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a knife slidably positioned within said knife channel.

4. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 3, wherein said cartridge body comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said knife channel extends between said proximal end and said distal end, and wherein said knife is slidable longitudinally between said proximal end and said distal end.

5. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein each said first staple comprises a base, a first leg, and a second leg, wherein said first leg extends non-parallely to said second leg.

6. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein said first row of staple pockets includes a first distal-most staple pocket, wherein said second row of staple pockets includes a second distal-most staple pocket, and wherein said first distal-most staple pocket is positioned distally with respect to said second distal-most staple pocket.

7. An end effector for use with a surgical stapler, said end effector comprising:

an anvil;

a cartridge housing;

a knife channel dividing the cartridge housing into a first side and a second side;

a first row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing, wherein said first row of staple pockets is adjacent said knife channel;

a second row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing, wherein said second row of staple pockets is adjacent to said first row of staple pockets, and wherein the staple pockets in said first row are staggered distally with respect to the staple pockets in said second row;

a third row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing;

staples removably positioned within said staple pockets; and

a staple driver configured to drive a first staple out of a staple pocket in said first row and a second staple out of a staple pocket in said second row and, in cooperation with said anvil, deform said first staple to a first fired height and said second staple to a second fired height, wherein said first fired height is different than said second fired height.

8. The end effector of claim 7, wherein said first fired height is shorter than said second fired height.

9. The end effector of claim 7, further comprising a knife slidably positioned within said knife channel.

10. The end effector of claim 9, wherein said cartridge body comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said knife channel extends between said proximal end and said distal end, and wherein said knife is slidable longitudinally between said proximal end and said distal end.

11. The end effector of claim 7, wherein each said first staple comprises a base, a first leg, and a second leg, wherein said first leg extends non-parallely to said second leg.

12. The end effector of claim 7, wherein said first row of staple pockets includes a first distal-most staple pocket, wherein said second row of staple pockets includes a second distal-most staple pocket, and wherein said first distal-most staple pocket is positioned distally with respect to said second distal-most staple pocket.

13. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge housing;

a knife channel dividing said cartridge housing into a first side and a second side;

a first row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing, wherein said first row of staple pockets is adjacent said knife channel, and wherein said first row of staple pockets comprises a first distal end staple pocket;

a second row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing, wherein said second row of staple pockets is adjacent to said first row of staple pockets, wherein said second row of staple pockets comprises a second distal end staple pocket, and wherein said first distal end staple pocket is positioned distally with respect to said second distal end staple pocket;

a third row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing;

staples removably positioned within said staple pockets; and

a staple driver configured to drive a first distal staple out of said first distal end staple pocket and a second distal staple out of said second distal end staple pocket and, in cooperation with an opposing anvil, deform said first distal staple to a first fired height and said second distal staple to a second fired height, wherein said first fired height is different than the second fired height.

14. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 13, wherein said first fired height is shorter than said second fired height.

15. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 13, further comprising a knife slidably positioned within said knife channel.

16. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 15, wherein said cartridge body comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said knife channel extends between said proximal end and said distal end, and wherein said knife is slidable longitudinally between said proximal end and said distal end.

17. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 13, wherein each said first staple comprises a base, a first leg, and a second leg, wherein said first leg extends non-parallely to said second leg.

18. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 17, wherein each said second staple comprises a base, a first leg, and a second leg, wherein said first leg extends non-parallely to said second leg.