Staple cartridges for forming staples having differing formed staple heights

• US 7,669,746 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe; Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUKWURAH, NATHANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US11/216,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20070045379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.2, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/180.1, 227/182.1, 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/179.1, 227/181.1, 606/48, 606/51
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• 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 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• 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 2017/07264 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: B25C 5/0292 with the objects to be stapled together introduced perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the tool in an opening formed by an anvil and a plunger

Abstract

A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil portion that is selectively movable between open and closed positions is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention include a cartridge body that movably supports first and second staple drivers. The staple drivers each support a staple thereon and serve to drive the staples into forming contact with the anvil upon actuation by the actuator. The various embodiments of the present invention enable the final formed heights of the staples to be varied without the need to use different sizes of staples.

Claims

1. A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator and cutting portion and an anvil that is selectively movable between open and closed positions for forming a plurality of like-sized staples, said staple cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body supportable within the stapling device for selective confronting relationship with the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position, said cartridge body configured to operably receive the actuator and cutting portion therein to enable said actuator and cutting portion to be longitudinally advanced through said cartridge from a proximal end to a distal end;

a plurality of first staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body and being sequentially movable from an unactuated position to an actuated position upon sequential interaction with the actuator, each said first staple driver defining a first staple support cradle therein for supporting a staple thereon, each said first staple support cradle located a first staple forming distance from a corresponding portion of the closed anvil; and

a plurality of second staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body and being laterally spaced from said first staple driver, said at least one second staple driver being sequentially movable from another unactuated position to another actuated position upon sequential interaction with the actuator, each said second staple driver defining a second staple support cradle therein for supporting another staple thereon that, when unformed, is substantially similar in size to said staple supported on said first staple support cradle, each said second staple support cradle located a second staple forming distance from another portion of the closed anvil that corresponds to the second staple support cradle and wherein said second staple forming distance differs in magnitude from said first staple forming distance.

2. The staple cartridge of claim 1 wherein each said first staple driver supports at least two of said staples thereon.

3. The staple cartridge of claim 2 wherein said first staple support cradle is in a primary driver portion of said first staple driver and wherein each said first staple driver further comprises a secondary driver portion attached to said primary driver portion and defining a secondary staple support cradle located a secondary staple forming distance from another corresponding portion of the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position, said secondary support cradle supporting another one of said staples thereon.

4. The staple cartridge of claim 3 wherein said secondary staple forming distance is substantially equal to said first staple forming distance.

5. The staple cartridge of claim 3 wherein said secondary staple forming distance differs in magnitude from said first staple forming distance and said second staple forming distance.

6. The staple cartridge of claim 1 wherein said at least one first staple driver comprises a plurality of first staple drivers axially aligned in a first row of first staple drivers and wherein said at least one said second staple driver comprises a plurality of second staple drivers aligned in a second row of said second staple drivers.

7. The staple cartridge of claim 6 wherein said first staple forming distance of one said first staple drivers in said first row of said first staple drivers differs in magnitude from said first staple forming distance of another one of said first staple drivers in said first row of first staple drivers.

8. The staple cartridge of claim 7 wherein said second staple forming distance of one of said second staple drivers in said second row of said second staple drivers differs in magnitude from said second staple forming distance of another one of said second staple drivers in said second row of said second staple drivers.

9. A staple cartridge for use with a surgical instrument having an end effector that has an anvil portion pivotally attached thereto for travel between open and closed positions and further including a firing bar that is selectively reciprocatable therein for forming a plurality of like-sized unformed staples, said staple cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body sized to be supported within the end effector, said cartridge body having a longitudinally extending slot therein for reciprocatingly receiving the firing bar therein;

a first plurality of inside staple drivers axially aligned in a first row of inside staple drivers in a portion of said cartridge body adjacent a first side of said longitudinally extending slot and a second plurality of inside staple drivers axially aligned in a second row of inside staple drivers in another portion of said cartridge body adjacent a second side of said longitudinally extending slot, said inside staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body for selective movement toward the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position, each said inside staple driver defining a first staple support cradle for supporting a staple thereon, each said first staple support cradle located a first staple forming distance from a corresponding portion of the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position;

a first plurality of outside staple drivers axially aligned in a first row of outside staple drivers adjacent to said first row of said inside staple drivers and a second plurality of outside staple drivers axially aligned in a second row of outside staple drivers and adjacent to said second row of inside staple drivers, each of said outside staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body for selective driving movement toward the anvil when the anvil is in the closed position, each of said outside staple drivers defining a second staple support cradle for supporting another staple thereon that, when unformed, is substantially similar in size to said staple supported on said first staple support cradle, each said second staple support cradle located a second staple forming distance from another corresponding portion of the anvil when the anvil is in the closed position, said second staple forming distance differing in magnitude from said first staple forming distance; and

a wedge sled supported within said cartridge body for driving contact by the firing bar and actuating contact with said first and second pluralities of said inside staple drivers and said first and second pluralities of said outside staple drivers such that, as said firing bar moves within said elongated slot in said cartridge body in a first axial direction, said wedge sled drives each of said inside and outside drivers towards the anvil to bring the staples supported thereon into forming contact with the anvil when the anvil is in the closed position.

10. The staple cartridge of claim 9 wherein each of said inside staple drivers support two of said staples thereon.

11. The staple cartridge of claim 10 wherein said two staples supported on at least one of said inside staple drivers are longitudinally offset from each other.

12. The staple cartridge of claim 10 wherein said first staple support cradle is in a primary driver portion of said inside driver and wherein each said inside driver further comprises a secondary driver portion attached to said primary driver portion, said secondary driver portion defining a secondary staple support cradle therein that is located a secondary staple forming distance from another corresponding portion of the anvil when the anvil is in the closed position, each said secondary staple support cradle supporting one of said staples thereon.

13. The staple cartridge of claim 12 wherein said secondary staple forming distance is substantially equal to said first staple forming distance.

14. The staple cartridge of claim 12 wherein said secondary staple forming distance differs in magnitude from said first staple forming distance and said second staple forming distance.

15. The staple cartridge of claim 9 wherein said second staple forming distance of at least one of said outside staple drivers in said first row of said first outside staple drivers differs in magnitude from said second staple forming distance of at least one other said outside staple driver in said first row of said outside staple drivers.

16. The staple cartridge of claim 15 wherein said second staple forming distance of at least one of said outside staple drivers in said second row of said outside staple drivers differs in magnitude from said second staple forming distance of at least one other said outside staple driver in said second row of said outside staple drivers.

17. The staple cartridge of claim 15 wherein said first staple forming distance of at least one of said inside staple drivers in said second row of said inside staple drivers differs in magnitude from said first staple forming-distance of at least one other said inside staple driver in said second row of said inside staple drivers.

18. The staple cartridge of claim 9 wherein said first staple forming distance of at least one of said first staple drivers in said first row of said inside staple drivers differs in magnitude from said first staple forming distance of at least one other said inside staple driver in said first row of said inside staple drivers.

19. A staple cartridge for use with a surgical instrument having an end effector that has an anvil portion pivotally attached thereto for travel between open and closed positions and further including a firing bar that is selectively axially reciprocatable therein, said staple cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body sized to be supported within the end effector, said cartridge body having a longitudinally extending slot therein for reciprocatingly receiving the firing bar therein;

a plurality of first inside staple drivers axially aligned in a first row of first inside staple drivers on a first side of said longitudinally extending slot, each of said first inside staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body for selective movement toward the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position and supporting at least one staple thereon;

a plurality of first outside staple drivers aligned in a first row of first outside staple drivers on said first side of said longitudinally extending slot and adjacent to said first row of said first inside staple drivers, each of said first outside staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body for selective driving movement toward the anvil when the anvil is in the closed position and supporting another one of said staples thereon; and

a wedge sled supported within said cartridge body for contact with said firing bar, said wedge sled comprising;

a first inside sled cam having a first maximum sled cam height measured from a bottom-most drive surface of said first inside cam to an upper-most portion of said first inside cam, said first inside sled cam oriented for sequential sliding actuating contact with said first inside staple drivers in said first row of said first inside staple drivers when said firing bar is axially advanced through said elongated slot in a first axial direction such that said first inside staple drivers are driven towards the anvil a first distance equal to said first maximum sled cam height; and

a first outside sled cam having a second maximum sled cam height measured from a bottom-most drive surface of said first outside cam to an upper-most portion of said first outside cam, said second maximum sled cam height differing in magnitude from said first maximum sled cam height, said first outside sled cam oriented for sequential sliding actuating contact with said first outside staple drivers in said first row of said first outside staple drivers when said firing bar is advanced through said elongated slot in the first direction such that said first outside staple drivers are driven towards the anvil a second distance equal to said second maximum sled cam height.

20. The staple cartridge of claim 19 further comprising:

a plurality of second inside staple drivers aligned in a second row of second inside staple drivers on a second side of said longitudinally extending slot, each of said second inside staple drivers movably supported with said cartridge body for selective driving movement towards the anvil when the anvil is in the closed position and supporting another one of said staples thereon;

a plurality of second outside staple drivers aligned in a second row of second outside staple drivers on said second side of said longitudinally extending slot and adjacent to said second row of said second inside staple drivers, each of said second outside staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body for driving movement towards the anvil when the anvil is in the closed position and supporting another one of said staples thereon and wherein said wedge sled further comprises;

a second inside sled cam having a primary maximum sled cam height measured from a bottom-most drive surface of said second inside sled cam to an upper-most portion of said second inside sled cam, said second inside sled cam oriented for sequential sliding actuating contact with said second inside staple drivers in said second row of said second inside staple drivers when said firing bar is axially advanced through said elongated slot in the first direction such that said second inside staple drivers are driven towards the anvil a primary distance equal to said primary maximum sled cam height; and

a second outside sled cam having a secondary maximum sled cam height measured from a bottom-most drive surface of said second outside sled cam to an upper-most portion of said second outside sled cam, said second outside sled cam oriented for sequential sliding actuating contact with said second outside staple drivers in said second row of said second outside staple drivers when said firing bar is axially advanced through said elongated slot in the first direction such that said second outside staple drivers are driven towards the anvil a secondary distance equal to said secondary maximum sled cam height.

21. The staple cartridge of claim 20 wherein said primary maximum sled cam height is substantially equal to said first maximum sled cam height and wherein said secondary maximum sled cam height is substantially equal to said second maximum sled cam height.

22. The staple cartridge of claim 20 wherein said primary maximum sled cam height is not equal to said first, second, or secondary maximum sled cam heights.

23. A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator and cutting member that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil portion that is selectively movable between open and closed positions, said staple cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body supportable within the stapling device for selective confronting relationship with the anvil portion thereof when in a closed position, said cartridge body configured to axially receive the actuator and cutting member therein;

a plurality of first staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body for sequential contact by the actuator such that, as the actuator is axially advanced through said cartridge body, said first staple drivers are sequentially driven in a direction toward the anvil when the anvil is in the closed position, each said first staple driver defining a first staple support cradle therein for supporting a staple thereon, said first staple support cradle located a first staple forming distance from a corresponding portion of the closed anvil;

a plurality of second staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body for sequential contact by the actuator such that as the actuator is axially advanced through said cartridge body, said second staple drivers are sequentially driven in said direction toward the closed anvil, each said second staple driver defining a second staple support cradle therein for supporting another staple thereon, said second staple support cradle located a second staple forming distance from another portion of the closed anvil that corresponds to the second staple support cradle and wherein said second staple forming distance differs from said first staple forming distance;

a plurality of third staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body and being sequentially movable from a third unactuated position to a third actuated position upon sequential interaction with the actuator, each said third staple driver defining a third staple support cradle therein that is located a third maximum staple forming distance from another portion of the closed anvil that corresponds to the third staple support cradle when the closed anvil is substantially parallel to said top cartridge surface, and wherein said first maximum staple forming distance differs from at least one of said second and third maximum staple forming distances;

a first staple disposed in at least one of said first staple support cradles;

a second staple disposed in at least one of said second staple support cradles; and

a third staple in each of said third staple in at least one of said third staple support cradles, said first, second, and third staples having substantially the same unformed size.