Staple cartridge comprising staples with different unformed heights

• US 10,028,742 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2015
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Swayze, Jeffrey S., Morgan, Jerome R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chukwurah, Nathaniel
• Application Number:
  US14/679,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20150209038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 2271751, 2271761, 2271801, 227 19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• 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 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3205 Excision instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00535 pneumatically or hydraulically operated A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0645 being elastically deformed for insertion
• 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 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2901 Details of shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2925 Pistol grips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft

Abstract

A staple cartridge comprising staples with different unformed heights is disclosed.

Claims

1. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body including a tissue supporting deck, wherein said deck comprises a first longitudinal step and a second longitudinal step;

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities are arranged in;

a first longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said first longitudinal step;

a second longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said second longitudinal step; and

a third longitudinal row of staple cavities;

staples removably positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are arranged in;

a first longitudinal row of staples positioned in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein a first staple in said first longitudinal row of staples is defined by a first unformed height;

a second longitudinal row of staples positioned in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein a second staple in said second longitudinal row of staples is defined by a second unformed height which is different than said first unformed height; and

a third longitudinal row of staples positioned in said third longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein said third longitudinal row of staples comprises a third staple; and

a staple driver configured to eject said first staple, said second staple, and said third staple simultaneously,

wherein said first staple is formed to a first deformed height against an anvil, and wherein said second staple is formed to a second deformed height against the anvil independent of said first staple.

2. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body including a tissue supporting deck, wherein said deck comprises a first longitudinal step and a second longitudinal step;

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities are arranged in;

a first longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said first longitudinal step;

a second longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said second longitudinal step; and

a third longitudinal row of staple cavities;

staples removably positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are arranged in;

a first longitudinal row of staples positioned in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein a first staple in said first longitudinal row of staples is defined by a first unformed height;

a second longitudinal row of staples positioned in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein a second staple in said second longitudinal row of staples is defined by a second unformed height which is different than said first unformed height; and

a third longitudinal row of staples positioned in said third longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein said third longitudinal row of staples comprises a third staple; and

a staple driver configured to eject said first staple, said second staple, and said third staple simultaneously,

wherein said cartridge body further comprises a longitudinal slot and a cutting member movably positioned in said longitudinal slot, wherein said first longitudinal step is adjacent to said longitudinal slot, and wherein said first unformed height is shorter than said second unformed height.

3. The staple cartridge of claim 2, wherein said staple driver is configured to eject an additional first staple in said first longitudinal row of staples.

4. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body including a deck;

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities are arranged in;

a first longitudinal row of staple cavities;

a second longitudinal row of staple cavities; and

a third longitudinal row of staple cavities;

staples removably positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are arranged in;

a first longitudinal row of staples positioned in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein a first staple in said first longitudinal row of staples is defined by a first unformed height;

a second longitudinal row of staples positioned in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein a second staple in said second longitudinal row of staples is defined by a second unformed height which is different than said first unformed height; and

a third longitudinal row of staples positioned in said third longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein said third longitudinal row of staples comprises a third staple; and

a staple driver configured to concurrently deploy a plurality of said staples, comprising;

a first groove, wherein said first staple is supported within said first groove;

a second groove, wherein said second staple is supported within said second groove, wherein said first groove is positioned closer to said deck than said second groove; and

a third groove, wherein said third staple is supported within said third groove,

wherein said first staple is formed to a first deformed height against an anvil, and wherein said second staple is formed to a second deformed height against the anvil independent of said first staple.

5. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body including a deck;

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities are arranged in;

a first longitudinal row of staple cavities;

a second longitudinal row of staple cavities; and

a third longitudinal row of staple cavities;

staples removably positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are arranged in;

a first longitudinal row of staples positioned in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein a first staple in said first longitudinal row of staples is defined by a first unformed height;

a second longitudinal row of staples positioned in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein a second staple in said second longitudinal row of staples is defined by a second unformed height which is different than said first unformed height; and

a third longitudinal row of staples positioned in said third longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein said third longitudinal row of staples comprises a third staple; and

a staple driver configured to concurrently deploy a plurality of said staples, comprising;

a first groove, wherein said first staple is supported within said first groove;

a second groove, wherein said second staple is supported within said second groove, wherein said first groove is positioned closer to said deck than said second groove; and

a third groove, wherein said third staple is supported within said third groove,

wherein said cartridge body further comprises a longitudinal slot and a cutting member movably positioned in said longitudinal slot, wherein said first longitudinal row of staple cavities is adjacent to said longitudinal slot, and wherein said first unformed height is shorter than said second unformed height.

6. The staple cartridge of claim 5, wherein said staple driver comprises an additional first groove which supports an additional first staple in said first longitudinal row of staples.

7. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body comprising a stepped deck;

a longitudinal slot configured to receive a cutting member;

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities comprise;

a first staple cavity positioned adjacent said longitudinal slot;

a second staple cavity positioned laterally outward of said first staple cavity with respect to said longitudinal slot; and

a third staple cavity positioned laterally outward of said second staple cavity with respect to said longitudinal slot;

staples removably positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said staples comprise;

a first staple removably positioned in said first staple cavity, wherein said first staple comprises a first proximal leg and a first distal leg, and wherein said first staple is defined by a first unformed height;

a second staple removably positioned in said second staple cavity, wherein said second staple comprises a second proximal leg and a second distal leg, wherein said second distal leg is positioned proximally with respect to said first distal leg, and wherein said second staple is defined by a second unformed height which is different than said first unformed height; and

a third staple removably positioned in said third staple cavity, wherein said third staple comprises a third proximal leg and a third distal leg, wherein said third distal leg is positioned proximally with respect to said second distal leg; and

a staple driver configured to simultaneously deploy said first staple, said second staple, and said third staple,

wherein said first staple is formed to a first deformed height against an anvil, and wherein said second staple is formed to a second deformed height against the anvil independent of said first staple.

8. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body comprising a stepped deck;

a longitudinal slot configured to receive a cutting member;

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities comprise;

a first staple cavity positioned adjacent said longitudinal slot;

a second staple cavity positioned laterally outward of said first staple cavity with respect to said longitudinal slot; and

a third staple cavity positioned laterally outward of said second staple cavity with respect to said longitudinal slot;

staples removably positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said staples comprise;

a first staple removably positioned in said first staple cavity, wherein said first staple comprises a first proximal leg and a first distal leg, and wherein said first staple is defined by a first unformed height;

a second staple removably positioned in said second staple cavity, wherein said second staple comprises a second proximal leg and a second distal leg, wherein said second distal leg is positioned proximally with respect to said first distal leg, and wherein said second staple is defined by a second unformed height which is different than said first unformed height; and

a third staple removably positioned in said third staple cavity, wherein said third staple comprises a third proximal leg and a third distal leg, wherein said third distal leg is positioned proximally with respect to said second distal leg; and

a staple driver configured to simultaneously deploy said first staple, said second staple, and said third staple,

wherein said first unformed height is shorter than said second unformed height.