Staple cartridge comprising a staple driver arrangement

• US 9,561,032 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Murray, Michael A., Hess, Christopher J., Weisenburgh, William B. II, Morgan, Jerome R., Hall, Steven G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chukwurah, Nathaniel
• Application Number:
  US13/965,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20130327809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/180.1, 227/181.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0643 with separate closing member, e.g. for interlocking with staple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00371 Multiple actuation, e.g. pushing of two buttons, or two working tips becoming operational
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00898 expandable upon contact with fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00929 isolating electrical current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07235 containing different staples, e.g. staples of different shapes, sizes or materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07242 achieving different staple heights during the same shot, e.g. using an anvil anvil having different heights or staples of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 : Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 : abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/037 : with a frangible part, e.g. by reduced diameter

Abstract

In various embodiments, a surgical staple cartridge is provided. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge housing, a knife, a first row of staple pockets, a second row of staple pockets, and a third row of staple pockets. The staple cartridge further comprises a plurality of first staples, a plurality of second staples, and a plurality of third staples. The staple cartridge further comprises, one, a first staple driver oriented to drive a first staple out of the staple pockets in the first row, a second staple out of the staple pockets in the second row, and a third staple out of the staple pockets in the third row and, two, a second staple driver oriented to drive a total of four staples out of the staple pockets in the first row, the second row and the third row of staple pockets.

Claims

1. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge housing;

a knife channel dividing the cartridge housing into a first side and a second side;

a first row of staple pockets located on the first side of the cartridge housing;

a second row of staple pockets located on the first side of the cartridge housing;

a third row of staple pockets located on the first side of the cartridge housing;

a plurality of first staples removably stored within the first row of staple pockets;

a plurality of second staples removably stored within the second row of staple pockets;

a plurality of third staples removably stored within the third row of staple pockets;

a first staple driver on the first side oriented to drive a first staple out of the staple pockets in the first row, a second staple out of the staple pockets in the second row, and a third staple out of the staple pockets in the third row; and

a second staple driver on the first side oriented to drive a total of four staples out of the staple pockets in the first row, the second row and the third row of staple pockets and, in cooperation with an opposing planar anvil, deform at least one of said four staples to a first fired height and at least one of said four staples to a second fired height, wherein the first fired height is different than the second fired height.

2. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein said first fired height is shorter than said second fired height.

3. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 2, wherein said first row of staple pockets is adjacent said knife channel.

4. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a knife slidably positioned within said knife channel.

5. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein said cartridge housing comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said knife channel extends between said proximal end and said distal end, and wherein said knife is slidable longitudinally between said proximal end and said distal end.

6. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein each said first staple comprises a base, a first leg, and a second leg, wherein said first leg extends non-parallely to said second leg.

7. An end effector for use with a surgical instrument, said end effector comprising:

an anvil comprising a non-stepped tissue-engagement surface;

a cartridge housing;

a knife channel dividing said cartridge housing into a first side and a second side;

a first row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing;

a second row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing;

a third row of staple pockets located on said first side of said cartridge housing;

a plurality of first staples removably stored within said first row of staple pockets;

a plurality of second staples removably stored within said second row of staple pockets;

a plurality of third staples removably stored within said third row of staple pockets;

a staple driver on the first side arranged to drive a total of four staples, wherein said four staples comprise at least one staple from said first row, at least one staple from said second row and at least one staple from said third row and, in cooperation with said anvil, deform at least one of said four staples to a first fired height and at least one of said four staples to a second fired height, wherein said first fired height is different than said second fired height.

8. The end effector of claim 7, wherein said first fired height is shorter than said second fired height.

9. The end effector of claim 8, wherein said first row of staple pockets is adjacent said knife channel.

10. The end effector of claim 7, further comprising a knife slidably positioned within said knife channel.

11. The end effector of claim 7, wherein said cartridge housing comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said knife channel extends between said proximal end and said distal end, and wherein said knife is slidable longitudinally between said proximal end and said distal end.

12. The end effector of claim 7, wherein each said first staple comprises a base, a first leg, and a second leg, wherein said first leg extends non-parallely to said second leg.

13. A surgical end effector, comprising:

a cartridge housing;

a knife channel dividing the cartridge housing into a first side and a second side;

a first row of staple pockets located on the first side of the cartridge housing, wherein the first row of staple pockets is adjacent the knife channel;

a second row of staple pockets located on the first side of the cartridge housing, wherein the second row of staple pockets is adjacent to the first row of staple pockets, and wherein the staple pockets in the first row are staggered distally with respect to the staple pockets in the second row;

a third row of staple pockets located on the first side of the cartridge housing;

staples removably positioned within the staple pockets;

a first staple driver on the first side arranged to drive a first staple out of the staple pockets in the first row, a second staple out of the staple pockets in the second row, and a third staple out of the staple pockets in the third row; and

a second staple driver on the first side arranged to drive a total of four staples.

14. The end effector of claim 13, further comprising a knife slidably positioned within said knife channel.

15. The end effector of claim 13, wherein said cartridge housing comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said knife channel extends between said proximal end and said distal end, and wherein said knife is slidable longitudinally between said proximal end and said distal end.

16. The end effector of claim 13, wherein each said first staple comprises a base, a first leg, and a second leg, wherein said first leg extends non-parallelly to said second leg.