Surgical staple cartridges supporting non-linearly arranged staples and surgical stapling instruments with common staple-forming pockets
First Claim
1. A surgical staple cartridge for use with an end effector including an anvil, the surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
- a cartridge body configured to be operably supported in the end effector such that a cartridge deck thereof is in confronting relationship with a staple-forming undersurface of the anvil; and
at least one line of staples supported in said cartridge body wherein each said staple in said at least one line of staples includes a base and two staple legs protruding therefrom and wherein said base of at least one said staple overlaps and crosses over said base of at least one other adjacent said staple, said at least one staple being oriented relative to said at least one other adjacent said staple and the staple-forming undersurface of the anvil such that when said at least one staple and said at least one other adjacent said staple are driven into forming contact with the staple-forming undersurface of the anvil, the legs of the at least one said staple do not interlock with the legs of the at least one other adjacent said staple.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical staple cartridge and surgical stapling instruments. In various embodiments, the surgical staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body fabricated from compressible material that supports at least one line of unformed staples therein. The staples may be oriented in linear and/or non-linear arrangements in staple lines. Various forms of staples may be used including staples that have base support members molded or otherwise attached to the base portions of the staples. The surgical stapling instrument has an anvil that is responsive to closing motions to selectively bring the anvil into forming contact with the non-moving staples in the compressible staple cartridge body. The anvil may have a common staple pocket that serves to form all of the staples in a single line of staples.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical staple cartridge for use with an end effector including an anvil, the surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
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a cartridge body configured to be operably supported in the end effector such that a cartridge deck thereof is in confronting relationship with a staple-forming undersurface of the anvil; and at least one line of staples supported in said cartridge body wherein each said staple in said at least one line of staples includes a base and two staple legs protruding therefrom and wherein said base of at least one said staple overlaps and crosses over said base of at least one other adjacent said staple, said at least one staple being oriented relative to said at least one other adjacent said staple and the staple-forming undersurface of the anvil such that when said at least one staple and said at least one other adjacent said staple are driven into forming contact with the staple-forming undersurface of the anvil, the legs of the at least one said staple do not interlock with the legs of the at least one other adjacent said staple. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An end effector for a surgical instrument, said end effector comprising:
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an elongated channel configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein; and an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel, said anvil being selectively movable from an open position wherein a staple-forming surface thereof is spaced away from a staple cartridge supported in said elongated channel to closed positions relative to the staple cartridge within said elongated channel in response to firing motions applied to said anvil, said anvil including at least one anvil pocket configured for forming contact with legs of at least two discrete adjacent staples in a common line of discrete staples in the staple cartridge supported within said elongated channel such that said legs of the at least two discrete adjacent staples are formed in orthogonal non-locking directions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handle assembly; an elongated shaft assembly operably coupled to said handle assembly; an end effector, comprising; an elongated channel operably coupled to a portion of said elongated shaft assembly; a staple cartridge supported in said elongated channel, said staple cartridge supporting at least one line of staples therein, each said staple in said at least one line of staples having a staple base and a pair of staple legs protruding therefrom and wherein said staples in at least one of said at least one line of staples being oriented in a predetermined pattern relative to each other such that an axis of said staple base of one said staple substantially transversely crosses another said staple base of an adjacent said staple in a same said line of staples; and an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel, said anvil being selectively movable from an open position wherein a staple forming surface thereof is spaced away from said staple cartridge to closed positions relative to said staple cartridge in response to firing motions applied to said anvil from said elongated shaft, said anvil having at least one common anvil pocket formed therein corresponding to one of said at least one line of staples in said staple cartridge such that the legs of at least two adjacent staples in said at least one line of staples are formed in orthogonal non-interlocking directions. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification