Firing member displacement system for a stapling instrument
First Claim
1. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
- a shaft, wherein said shaft comprises a displacing cam;
a plurality of staple cartridges positioned within said shaft, wherein each said staple cartridge comprises;
a cartridge body comprising a plurality of apertures; and
a plurality of staples each comprising at least one staple leg positioned in a said aperture, wherein said staple legs are slidable within said apertures;
a trigger;
a firing member;
a first jaw comprising a channel configured to receive a said staple cartridge, wherein said first jaw comprises a plurality of staple drivers positioned within said channel, and wherein said firing member is configured to engage said staple drivers and move said staples between a first position and a second position;
a second jaw comprising an anvil, wherein said staple legs are configured to contact said anvil when said staples are driven into said second position;
a cartridge driver configured to sequentially advance said staple cartridges into said channel; and
wherein said firing member is operably coupled with said trigger such that a firing motion can be transferred from said trigger to said firing member to move said firing member along a firing path, wherein said firing path comprises;
a proximal position in which said firing member is in contact with said displacing cam and is displaced in a transverse direction with respect to said firing path, wherein a said staple cartridge can slide past said firing member when said firing member is displaced in said transverse direction;
a plurality of firing positions in which said firing member is in contact with said staple drivers; and
a distal position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical stapling instrument can comprise a jaw configured to receive a staple cartridge, a firing member configured to eject staples from the staple cartridge, and a system for supplying a continuous number of staple cartridges to the jaw. The surgical stapling instrument can further comprise a system for displacing the firing member into a position in which a staple cartridge can be slid relative to the firing member. In at least one such embodiment, the surgical stapling instrument can comprise a shaft and a plurality of staple cartridges positioned within the shaft, wherein the firing member can be dropped downwardly within the shaft such that one or more staple cartridges can be slid by the firing member.
2521 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
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a shaft, wherein said shaft comprises a displacing cam; a plurality of staple cartridges positioned within said shaft, wherein each said staple cartridge comprises; a cartridge body comprising a plurality of apertures; and a plurality of staples each comprising at least one staple leg positioned in a said aperture, wherein said staple legs are slidable within said apertures; a trigger; a firing member; a first jaw comprising a channel configured to receive a said staple cartridge, wherein said first jaw comprises a plurality of staple drivers positioned within said channel, and wherein said firing member is configured to engage said staple drivers and move said staples between a first position and a second position; a second jaw comprising an anvil, wherein said staple legs are configured to contact said anvil when said staples are driven into said second position; a cartridge driver configured to sequentially advance said staple cartridges into said channel; and wherein said firing member is operably coupled with said trigger such that a firing motion can be transferred from said trigger to said firing member to move said firing member along a firing path, wherein said firing path comprises; a proximal position in which said firing member is in contact with said displacing cam and is displaced in a transverse direction with respect to said firing path, wherein a said staple cartridge can slide past said firing member when said firing member is displaced in said transverse direction; a plurality of firing positions in which said firing member is in contact with said staple drivers; and a distal position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A surgical stapling instrument assembly, comprising:
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a shaft, comprising; a removable magazine; and a displacing cam; a plurality of staple cartridges positioned within said magazine, wherein each said staple cartridge comprises; a cartridge body comprising a plurality of apertures; and a plurality of staples each comprising a staple leg positioned in a said aperture, wherein said staple legs are slidable within said apertures; a first jaw comprising a channel configured to receive a said staple cartridge; a second jaw comprising an anvil, wherein said staple legs are configured to contact said anvil; a cartridge driver configured to sequentially advance said staple cartridges into said channel; and a firing member configured to be moved along a firing path, wherein said firing path comprises; a proximal position in which said firing member is in contact with said displacing cam and is displaced in a transverse direction with respect to said firing path, wherein a said staple cartridge can slide past said firing member when said firing member is displaced in said transverse direction; and a plurality of firing positions in which said firing member drives said staples against said anvil. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
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a shaft comprising a frame; a plurality of staple cartridges positioned within said shaft, wherein each said staple cartridge comprises; a cartridge body comprising a plurality of apertures; and a plurality of staples each comprising a staple leg positioned in a said aperture, wherein said staple legs are slidable within said apertures; a first jaw comprising a channel configured to receive a said staple cartridge; a second jaw comprising an anvil, wherein said staple legs are configured to contact said anvil; a cartridge driver configured to sequentially advance said staple cartridges into said channel; and a firing member configured to be moved along a firing path, wherein said firing path comprises; a proximal position in which said firing member is in contact with said frame and is displaced downwardly with respect to said firing path, wherein a said staple cartridge can slide past said firing member when said firing member is displaced in said downward direction; and a plurality of firing positions in which said firing member drives said staples against said anvil. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification