Disposable cartridge with drivers

• US 5,919,198 A
• Filed: 04/17/1997
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Lau, Peter, Speeg, Trevor, Bowser, William G., Graves, Thomas H. Jr., Bittner, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/839,853
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/178.1
• US Class Current: 606/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1222 Packages or dispensers therefor clip magazines incorporated in a clip-applying instrument A61B17/128; for surgical articles A61B50/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge

Abstract

An improved surgical instrument cartridge and method for manufacturing thereof includes providing a cartridge comprising a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each and connected to the surface member. At least one of the sidewalls has a plurality of slots arranged therein. The slotted sidewall is then deflected such that a plurality of drivers can be placed adjacent the deflected sidewall. Each driver has a tab extending laterally therefrom. The driver tab is inserted directly into the sidewall slot such that each tab is movably confined within each slot and the driver is movable with respect to the slotted sidewalls.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument cartridge comprising:

a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each other and connected to said surface member, wherein at least one of said sidewalls has at least one slot therethrough; and

at least one driver having a tab, said driver being movable with resect to said at least one sidewall such that said tab is movable within said at least one slot.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said surface member of said housing includes at least one pocket therein and aligned with said at least one driver.

3. The cartridge according to claim 2, including at least one staple associated with said at least one driver.

4. The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein said at least one driver is movable with respect to said at least one sidewall from a pre-fire position to a fired position.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sidewall is deflectable.

6. The cartridge according to claim 1, including a sprue detachably connected to said tab of said at least one driver.

7. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said tab is movably confined within said at least one slot.

8. A surgical instrument cartridge comprising:

a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each other and connected to said surface member, wherein at least one sidewall is deflectable; and

at least one driver having a tab, said driver being insertable into said cartridge upon deflection of said at least one sidewall.

9. The cartridge according to claim 8, wherein said at least one sidewall includes a slot therein.

10. The cartridge according to claim 9, wherein said tab of said at least one driver is movably confined within said slot.

11. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein said surface member of said housing includes at least one pocket therein and aligned with said at least one driver.

12. The cartridge according to claim 11, including at least one staple associated with said at least one driver.

13. A method for manufacturing a surgical instrument cartridge comprising:

providing a cartridge comprising a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each other and connected to said surface member, wherein at least one of said sidewalls has at least one slot therein;

deflecting said at least one sidewall having said at least one slot;

placing a driver having a tab adjacent said deflected at least one sidewall by inserting said tab into said slot such that said driver is movable with respect to said at least one sidewall and said tab is movably confined within said slot.

14. The method according to claim 13, including locating a staple on said driver.

15. A method for manufacturing a surgical instrument cartridge comprising:

providing a cartridge comprising a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each other and connected to said surface member wherein at least one of said sidewalls has a plurality of slots arranged therein;

deflecting said at least one sidewall;

placing a plurality of drivers wherein each driver has a tab adjacent said deflected at least one sidewall; and

inserting said tab of each driver in each slot of said deflected at least one sidewall such that each driver is movable with respect to said at least one sidewall and each tab is movably confined within each slot.

16. The method according to claim 15, including locating a staple on each driver.

17. A method for manufacturing a surgical instrument cartridge comprising:

providing a cartridge comprising a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each other and connected to said surface member, wherein at least one of said sidewalls has at least one slot therein;

deflecting said at least one sidewall; and

placing a driver having a tab into said housing at said at least one sidewall by inserting said tab into said at least one slot.

18. The method according to claim 17, including locating a staple on said driver.

19. A method for manufacturing a surgical instrument cartridge comprising:

providing a cartridge comprising a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each other and connected to said surface member, wherein at least one sidewall is deflectable; and

movably engaging a driver having a tab with said at least one sidewall by deflecting said at least one sidewall to position said driver adjacent said at least one sidewall.

20. The method according to claim 19, including locating a staple on said driver.

21. A surgical instrument cartridge comprising:

a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each other and connected to said surface member wherein said sidewalls and said surface member define at least one cavity therebetween, said at least one cavity having a cavity width; and

at least one driver having a driver width wherein said driver width is greater than said cavity width, and said driver being insertable into said cavity.

22. The cartridge according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said sidewalls includes at least one slot therein.

23. The cartridge according to claim 22, wherein said at least one driver includes a tab, said tab being insertable and movably confined within said at least one slot.

24. The cartridge according to claim 23, wherein said at least one sidewall is deflectable.

25. The cartridge according to claim 24, including a staple associated with said at least one driver.