Staple cartridge with deformable driver retention features
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument including an anvil, wherein the staple cartridge assembly comprises:
- a cartridge body, comprising;
a proximal portion;
a distal portion;
an elongate slot extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion;
a bottom surface;
a cartridge deck on an opposite side of the cartridge body from the bottom surface, the cartridge deck comprising;
a first deck surface; and
a second deck surface laterally offset from the first deck surface in a direction away from the elongate slot, wherein the first deck surface is stepped up from the second deck surface relative to the bottom surface; and
staple pockets on opposite sides of the elongate slot, wherein the staple pockets comprise pocket sidewalls extending from the cartridge deck toward the bottom surface and deformable retention features integrally-formed with the pocket sidewalls;
staples deployable from the staple pockets into tissue captured between the cartridge deck and the anvil; and
staple drivers each movable from a starting position to deploy the staples into the tissue, wherein the staple drivers comprise driver sidewalls facing the pocket sidewalls, wherein the deformable retention features protrude from the pocket sidewalls toward the staple drivers and are configured to maintain the staple drivers at theft starting positions with friction-fit connections between the pocket sidewalls and the driver sidewalls, and wherein a deployment force applied to the staple drivers is configured to deform the deformable retention features to overcome the friction-fit connections and release the staple drivers from their starting positions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A staple cartridge assembly includes staple pockets, staples deployable from the staple pockets into tissue, and staple drivers movable from a starting position to deploy the staples into the tissue. The staple drivers comprise deformable retention features configured to maintain the staple drivers at the starting positions.
4164 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument including an anvil, wherein the staple cartridge assembly comprises:
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a cartridge body, comprising; a proximal portion; a distal portion; an elongate slot extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; a bottom surface; a cartridge deck on an opposite side of the cartridge body from the bottom surface, the cartridge deck comprising; a first deck surface; and a second deck surface laterally offset from the first deck surface in a direction away from the elongate slot, wherein the first deck surface is stepped up from the second deck surface relative to the bottom surface; and staple pockets on opposite sides of the elongate slot, wherein the staple pockets comprise pocket sidewalls extending from the cartridge deck toward the bottom surface and deformable retention features integrally-formed with the pocket sidewalls; staples deployable from the staple pockets into tissue captured between the cartridge deck and the anvil; and staple drivers each movable from a starting position to deploy the staples into the tissue, wherein the staple drivers comprise driver sidewalls facing the pocket sidewalls, wherein the deformable retention features protrude from the pocket sidewalls toward the staple drivers and are configured to maintain the staple drivers at theft starting positions with friction-fit connections between the pocket sidewalls and the driver sidewalls, and wherein a deployment force applied to the staple drivers is configured to deform the deformable retention features to overcome the friction-fit connections and release the staple drivers from their starting positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument including an anvil, wherein the staple cartridge assembly comprises:
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a cartridge body, comprising; a proximal portion; a distal portion; an elongate slot extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; a bottom surface; a cartridge deck on an opposite side of the cartridge body from the bottom surface, the cartridge deck comprising; a first deck surface; and a second deck surface laterally offset from the first deck surface in a direction away from the elongate slot, wherein the first deck surface is further away from the second deck surface relative to the bottom surface; and staple pockets on opposite sides of the elongate slot, wherein the staple pockets comprise pocket sidewalls extending from the cartridge deck toward the bottom surface; staples deployable from the staple pockets into tissue captured between the cartridge deck and the anvil; and staple drivers each movable from a starting position to deploy the staples into the tissue, wherein the staple drivers comprise driver sidewalls facing the pocket sidewalls, wherein the staple drivers comprise integrally-formed deformable retention features extending toward the pocket sidewalls and configured to maintain the staple drivers at their starting positions with friction-fit connections between the pocket sidewalls and the driver sidewalls, and wherein a deployment force applied to the staple drivers is configured to deform the integrally-formed deformable retention features to release the staple drivers from their starting positions. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument including an anvil, wherein the staple cartridge assembly comprises:
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a cartridge body, comprising; a proximal portion; a distal portion; an elongate slot extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; a bottom surface; a cartridge deck on an opposite side of the cartridge body from the bottom surface; and staple pockets on opposite sides of the elongate slot, wherein the staple pockets comprise pocket sidewalls extending from the cartridge deck toward the bottom surface; staples deployable from the staple pockets into tissue captured between the cartridge deck and the anvil; staple drivers each movable from a starting position to deploy the staples into the tissue, wherein the staple drivers comprise a quadruple staple driver comprising; pushers configured to simultaneously deploy four of the staples into the tissue, wherein the pushers comprise pusher sidewalls facing the pocket sidewalls; and deformable retention ridges protruding from the pusher sidewalls toward the pocket sidewalls, wherein the deformable retention ridges cooperate to maintain the quadruple staple driver at the starting position with friction-fit connections between the pocket sidewalls and the pusher sidewalls, and wherein a deployment force applied to the staple drivers is configured to deform the deformable retention ridges to release the staple drivers from their starting positions.
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19. A staple cartridge assembly, comprising:
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a cartridge body, comprising; a proximal portion; a distal portion; an elongate slot extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion; a bottom surface; a cartridge deck on an opposite side of the cartridge body from the bottom surface, the cartridge deck comprising; a first deck surface; and a second deck surface laterally offset from the first deck surface, wherein the first deck surface is stepped up from the second deck surface relative to the bottom surface; and staple pockets on opposite sides of the elongate slot, the staple pockets comprising pocket sidewalls extending from the cartridge deck toward the bottom surface; staples deployable from the staple pockets; staple drivers each movable from a starting position to deploy the staples, wherein the staple drivers comprise driver sidewalls facing the pocket sidewalls; and laterally-extending interference features positioned intermediate the pocket sidewalls and the staple drivers, the laterally-extending interference features are configured to maintain the staple drivers at their starting positions with friction-fit connections between the pocket sidewalls and the driver sidewalls, and wherein a deployment force applied to the staple drivers is configured to deform the laterally-extending interference features to release the staple drivers from their starting positions. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification