Applicator instruments having insertable, changeable cartridges for dispensing surgical fasteners

An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising:

• a housing having a cartridge opening;
• a cartridge inserted into said cartridge opening;
• a plurality of surgical fasteners pre-loaded into said cartridge;
• an elongated shaft extending from a distal end of said housing, said elongated shaft having a conduit that extends from a proximal end to a distal end thereof;
• a handle coupled with said housing;
• a trigger coupled with said handle;
• a firing system disposed within said housing, said firing system having a flexible member, and a constant torque spring configured to drive said flexible member;
• a gear train coupled with said trigger, wherein said trigger is squeezable toward said handle for activating a firing cycle of said firing system to remove one of said surgical fasteners from said cartridge and drive said removed surgical fastener from said housing to the distal end of said elongated shaft;
• a ramp feature located between said cartridge opening and the proximal end of said elongated shaft;
• wherein prior to commencement of the firing cycle, said surgical fasteners that are pre-loaded into said cartridge are proximal to the distal end of said housing and not in axial alignment with said conduit of said elongated shaft, and wherein during the firing cycle said firing system and said ramp guide said removed surgical fastener into axial alignment with said conduit of said elongated shaft.

An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising:

• a housing having a cartridge opening;
• an elongated shaft extending from a distal end of said housing, said elongated shaft having a conduit that extends from a proximal end to a distal end of said elongated shaft;
• a handle coupled with a proximal end of said housing;
• a trigger coupled with said handle;
• a first cartridge containing a plurality of first surgical fasteners;
• a second cartridge containing a plurality of second surgical fasteners that are different than said first surgical fasteners, wherein said first and second cartridges are interchangeable and insertable into said cartridge opening for dispensing said first and second surgical fasteners from said distal end of said elongated shaft;
• a firing system for driving a fastener, the firing system including a flexible firing member, a constant torque spring disposed within said housing and configured to drive the flexible firing member, wherein said firing system removes a fastener from one of said first and second cartridges;
• a gear train disposed within said handle and coupled with said trigger, wherein said trigger is squeezable toward said handle for commencing a firing cycle of said firing system;
• a ramp located between said cartridge opening and a proximal end of said elongated shaft for guiding the surgical fastener that has been removed from one of said first and second cartridges into said conduit of said elongated shaft, wherein said ramp vertically guides the removed surgical fastener, driven by the firing system, into axial alignment with said conduit at the proximal end of said elongated shaft.