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AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsLee Ann Olson, Philip Roy, John W. Beardsley, Ralph Stearns, David C. Racenet, Clifford J. Emmons
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A tool assembly for a surgical stapling device includes a channel member for supporting a staple cartridge therein and an anvil to deform a plurality of staples ejected from the staple cartridge thereagainst. The tool assembly also includes a sled which is movable to force the staples from the cartridge against the anvil to staple tissue disposed between the anvil and the staple cartridge. A dynamic clamping member is included which has a pin which movably engages the anvil and a flange which movably engages the channel assembly. The dynamic clamping member is mounted to and movable with the sled. The pin and the flange of the dynamic clamping member cooperating to oppose the forces associated with clamping and stapling tissue and also to maintain a substantially uniform gap between the anvil and the staple cartridge during stapling of the tissue.
A surgical stapling loading unit for connection to a surgical stapler, the loading unit comprising a tool assembly having an anvil assembly, and a channel dimensioned to releasably receive a replaceable staple cartridge assembly, the replaceable staple cartridge assembly having a plurality of surgical staples, the loading unit having a connector portion for connecting to an elongate shaft, wherein the staple cartridge assembly is configured to be selectively coupled to and decoupled from the channel to facilitate replacement of the staple cartridge assembly.
A method of using a tool assembly in a surgical stapler system, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.