Surgical fastener applying apparatus
First Claim
1. For use in a surgical fastener applying instrument having (a) a frame with a U-shaped distal portion including a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs, (b) anvil means mounted on the distal leg of the U, and (c) cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means, a cartridge comprising:
- means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means to removably admit the cartridge into the cartridge holder means by relative motion of the cartridge along an axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said transverse axis toward the base of the U when the cartridge holder means is linearly reciprocated away from the anvil means; and
first cartridge registration means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means to cause the cartridge to move transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means to bring the cartridge into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Surgical fastener applying apparatus including an actuator and a removable surgical fastener containing cartridge. The cartridge fits loosely into a cartridge holder part of the actuator which translates linearly toward or away from an anvil part of the actuator. As the cartridge holder translates toward the anvil, the cartridge is automatically brought into alignment and registration with the anvil.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. For use in a surgical fastener applying instrument having (a) a frame with a U-shaped distal portion including a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs, (b) anvil means mounted on the distal leg of the U, and (c) cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means, a cartridge comprising:
-
means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means to removably admit the cartridge into the cartridge holder means by relative motion of the cartridge along an axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said transverse axis toward the base of the U when the cartridge holder means is linearly reciprocated away from the anvil means; and first cartridge registration means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means to cause the cartridge to move transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means to bring the cartridge into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:
-
a frame having a U-shaped distal portion, the U having a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs; anvil means disposed on the distal leg of the U; cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means; cartridge means; first means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for allowing the cartridge means to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along an axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said transverse axis toward the base of the U in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means away from the anvil means; and cartridge registration means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for causing the cartridge means to move transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means to bring the cartridge means into registration with the anvil means in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. For use in a surgical fastener applying instrument having (a) a frame with a U-shaped distal portion including a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs, (b) anvil means mounted on the distal leg of the U, and (c) cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means, a cartridge comprising:
-
means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means for allowing the cartridge to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along a first axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said first axis toward the base of the U; and first cartridge registration means for cooperating with the frame to cause the cartridge to move along a second axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said second axis away from the base of the U to bring the cartridge into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:
-
a frame having a U-shaped distal portion, the U having a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs; anvil means disposed on the distal leg of the U; cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means; cartridge means; first means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for allowing the cartridge means to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along a first axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said first axis toward the base of the U in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means away from the anvil means; and cartridge registration means associated with the frame and the cartridge means for causing the cartridge means to move along a second axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said second axis away from the base of the U to bring the cartridge means into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification