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Surgical stapler with locking mechanism

  • US 5,673,842 A
  • Filed: 03/05/1996
  • Issued: 10/07/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A surgical stapler comprising:

  • a frame;

    a staple cartridge positionable in said frame and comprising a cartridge body containing at least one row of staples, said cartridge defining an elongated knife slot;

    at least one firing wedge carried by said frame for movement longitudinally of said staple cartridge for effecting sequential driving of said staples from said cartridge; and

    a knife blade carried by said frame for movement through said elongated knife slot;

    said knife being movable between a first position wherein said knife is substantially prevented from moving through said knife slot, and a second position wherein said knife is movable through said slot,said staple cartridge including a rotatable member movable from a first position to a second position, wherein in said first position, said rotatable member is engageable with said knife blade as said cartridge is positioned on said frame to move said knife blade from said first position to said second position, said rotatable member being moved to said second position thereof by said knife blade as said knife blade is advanced distally of said cartridge through said knife slot,said rotatable member including a resiliently flexible portion yieldably engageable with said cartridge body as said rotatable member is moved from said first position to said second position thereof, said flexible portion thereafter being engageable with said cartridge body to maintain said rotatable member in said second position thereof.

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