Surgical stapler
First Claim
1. A surgical fastener applying apparatus, comprising:
- a cartridge assembly including a plurality of fasteners, and a plurality of fastener pushers positioned beneath the fasteners, each of the fastener pushers defining an equivalent height;
an anvil assembly movably connected to the cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly being configured and dimensioned to form the fasteners upon ejection from the cartridge assembly;
first and second cam bars movable through the cartridge assembly to facilitate displacement of the fastener pushers and ejection of the fasteners from the cartridge assembly; and
a supporting member fixedly positioned within the cartridge assembly beneath the first and second cam bars, the first cam bar being slidable along a first surface of the supporting member, and the second cam bar being slidable along a second surface of the supporting member, the first and second surfaces of the supporting member being positioned at different heights, wherein prior to firing of the surgical fastener applying apparatus, the fastener pushers are spaced apart from the first and second surfaces of the supporting member to facilitate engagement with the first and second cam bars.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical fastener applying comprising a cartridge section having a cartridge containing a plurality of fasteners, an anvil section having an anvil for receiving the fasteners when advanced from the cartridge, the cartridge and anvil sections clamping tissue therebetween. The first and second cam members are movable within the cartridge section to fire the fasteners. A cam member supporting member fixed within the cartridge section has an upper surface on which the cam members are slidable. The upper surface of the cam member supporting member has a first upper surface portion on a first plane and a second lower surface portion in a different substantially parallel second plane such that the first and second cam members slide in offset planes on the upper surface to fire the fasteners.
74 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical fastener applying apparatus, comprising:
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a cartridge assembly including a plurality of fasteners, and a plurality of fastener pushers positioned beneath the fasteners, each of the fastener pushers defining an equivalent height; an anvil assembly movably connected to the cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly being configured and dimensioned to form the fasteners upon ejection from the cartridge assembly; first and second cam bars movable through the cartridge assembly to facilitate displacement of the fastener pushers and ejection of the fasteners from the cartridge assembly; and a supporting member fixedly positioned within the cartridge assembly beneath the first and second cam bars, the first cam bar being slidable along a first surface of the supporting member, and the second cam bar being slidable along a second surface of the supporting member, the first and second surfaces of the supporting member being positioned at different heights, wherein prior to firing of the surgical fastener applying apparatus, the fastener pushers are spaced apart from the first and second surfaces of the supporting member to facilitate engagement with the first and second cam bars. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A cartridge assembly for use in a surgical fastener applying apparatus, the cartridge assembly comprising:
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a plurality of first fasteners each having legs defining a first length, and a plurality of second fasteners each having legs defining a second, greater length; a plurality of first fastener pushers positioned beneath the first fasteners, and a plurality of second fastener pushers positioned beneath the second fasteners, each of the first and second fastener pushers defining an equivalent height; first and second cam bars movable through the cartridge assembly to facilitate displacement of the fastener pushers and ejection of the fasteners from the cartridge assembly; and a supporting member positioned within the cartridge assembly, the supporting member including a first surface supporting the first cam bar such that the first cam bar is slidable along the first surface into engagement with the plurality of first fastener pushers, and a second surface supporting the second cam bar such that the second cam bar is slidable along the second surface into engagement with the plurality of second fastener pushers, the first surface of the supporting member defining a first height, and the second surface of the supporting member defining a second height, the first height being greater than the second height. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A cartridge assembly for use in a surgical fastener applying apparatus, the cartridge assembly comprising:
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a plurality of fasteners, and a plurality of fastener pushers positioned beneath the fasteners, each of the fastener pushers defining an equivalent height; first and second cam bars movable through the cartridge assembly to facilitate displacement of the fastener pushers and ejection of the fasteners from the cartridge assembly; and a supporting member fixedly positioned within the cartridge assembly beneath the first and second cam bars, the first cam bar being slidable along a first surface of the supporting member, and the second cam bar being slidable along a second surface of the supporting member, the first and second surfaces of the supporting member being positioned at different heights, wherein prior to firing of the surgical fastener applying apparatus, the fastener pushers are spaced apart from the first and second surfaces of the supporting member to facilitate engagement with the first and second cam bars.
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Specification