Surgical stapler and staple cartridge
First Claim
1. A surgical stapler comprising:
- cam means having at least one cam surface;
means for actuating said cam means for a longitudinal firing movement of said at least one cam surface;
a staple cartridge having a plurality of staple drive members driven by the longitudinal movement of said at least one cam surface; and
a plurality of surgical staples in said cartridge respectively associated with said drive members for being fired by the longitudinal movement of said at least one cam surface,said staple drive members including at least one first staple drive member and at least one second drive member, said first and second drive members being relatively movable and altematingly arranged in said longitudinal direction, each said first staple drive member being generally H-shaped and having a laterally spaced pair of staple driving surfaces respectively associated with a pair of said surgical staples and each said second staple drive member having a single staple driving surface associated with a respective one of said surgical staples and disposed laterally between said pair of staple driving surfaces of said first staple drive member so that said laterally spaced pair of driving surfaces of said first drive staple drive member and said single staple driving surface of said second staple drive member are arranged in three laterally spaced rows.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical stapler comprising at least one cam having a cam surface, an arrangement for actuating the cam for a longitudinal firing movement of the cam surface, a cartridge having a plurality of staple drive members driven by the longitudinal movement of the cam surface, and a plurality of surgical staples respectively associated with the staple drive members for being fired by the longitudinal movement of the cam surface. In one embodiment of the present invention, the staple drive members include at least a pair of alternating first and second staple drive members, the first staple drive member including a laterally spaced pair of staple driving surfaces, the second staple drive member including a single staple driving surface. The first and second staple drive members are disposed such that the staple driving surfaces thereof are arranged in laterally spaced three rows. Alternate embodiments include drive members each having a pair of longitudinally aligned driving surfaces, and a third laterally offset driving surface, as well as a spine-like flexible drive element operatively positioned between the cam surface of the cam and the drive members.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A surgical stapler comprising:
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cam means having at least one cam surface; means for actuating said cam means for a longitudinal firing movement of said at least one cam surface; a staple cartridge having a plurality of staple drive members driven by the longitudinal movement of said at least one cam surface; and a plurality of surgical staples in said cartridge respectively associated with said drive members for being fired by the longitudinal movement of said at least one cam surface, said staple drive members including at least one first staple drive member and at least one second drive member, said first and second drive members being relatively movable and altematingly arranged in said longitudinal direction, each said first staple drive member being generally H-shaped and having a laterally spaced pair of staple driving surfaces respectively associated with a pair of said surgical staples and each said second staple drive member having a single staple driving surface associated with a respective one of said surgical staples and disposed laterally between said pair of staple driving surfaces of said first staple drive member so that said laterally spaced pair of driving surfaces of said first drive staple drive member and said single staple driving surface of said second staple drive member are arranged in three laterally spaced rows. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A cartridge for a surgical stapler wherein said stapler includes cam means having at least one cam surface, and further includes means for actuating said at least one cam surface, said cartridge comprising:
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a cartridge body; a plurality of staple drive members in said cartridge body driven by longitudinal movement of said at least one cam surface; and a plurality of surgical staples respectively associated with said drive members for being fired by the longitudinal movement of said cam surface, said staple drive members including at least one first staple drive member and at least one second staple drive member, said first and second drive members being relatively movable and alternatingly arranged in said longitudinal direction, each said first staple drive member having a laterally spaced pair of staple driving surfaces respectively associated with a pair of said surgical staples and each said second staple drive member having a single staple driving surface associated with a respective one of said surgical staples and disposed laterally between said pair of staple driving surfaces of said first staple drive member so that said laterally spaced pair of driving surfaces of said first drive staple drive member and said single staple driving surface of said second staple drive member are arranged in three laterally spaced rows. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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Specification