Surgical instrument lockout arrangement

A surgical fastening instrument, comprising:

• a first jaw configured to operably support an unfired surgical fastener cartridge therein;
• an anvil movably supported relative to said first jaw;
• and
• a firing system, comprising:
• a firing member assembly configured to axially move between a starting position adjacent a proximal end of said first jaw and an ending position adjacent a distal end of said first jaw, wherein said firing member assembly comprises:
• a firing member comprising a cutting surface;
• a tippable element pivotally coupled to said firing member for axial travel with said firing member when said firing member is moved from the starting position to the ending position, wherein said tippable element is pivotally coupled to said firing member by an attachment joint, wherein said tippable element is configured to move relative to said firing member between a locked position in which said tippable element is in locking engagement with a lockout portion of said first jaw to prevent said firing member assembly from moving distally from the starting position upon application of a firing motion thereto and an unlocked position in which said firing member assembly is distally advanceable from the starting position upon the application of the firing motion to said firing member assembly, and wherein said firing member and said tippable element are configured to prevent an unlocking load from being applied to said attachment joint when said tippable element is in the locked position and the firing motion is applied to said firing member assembly;
• and
• means for biasing said tippable element into said locking engagement unless an unfired surgical fastener cartridge is operably supported in said first jaw.

A firing member for a surgical cutting and stapling instrument, wherein said firing member comprises:

• a vertically extending firing member body, wherein said vertically extending firing member body is sized to span between an anvil and a surgical staple cartridge of the surgical cutting and stapling instrument when the anvil and the surgical staple cartridge are in a closed orientation, wherein said vertically extending firing member body comprises a first lateral body side and a second lateral body side and a distal end, and wherein said distal end extends between said first lateral body side and said second lateral body side;
• and
• a movable locking member coupled to said firing member for axial travel with said firing member when said firing member is moved from a starting position adjacent a proximal end of the surgical staple cartridge to an ending position adjacent a distal end of the surgical staple cartridge, wherein said movable locking member comprises:
• a first engagement arm movably coupled to said first lateral body side;
• a second engagement arm movably coupled to said second lateral body side;
• and
• an unlocking feature coupled to said first engagement arm and said second engagement arm and spanning said distal end, wherein said unlocking feature is configured to move said movable locking member from a locked position in which said first engagement arm and said second engagement arm are in blocking engagement with a portion of the surgical cutting and stapling instrument to prevent distal advancement of said firing member from the starting position to an unlocked position in which said firing member is distally advanceable from the starting position when said unlocking feature is unlockingly engaged with a staple firing member in the surgical staple cartridge.

A firing member for a surgical cutting and stapling instrument that includes a channel configured to operably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and an anvil that is pivotally supported relative to the channel, wherein said firing member comprises:

• a vertically extending firing member body, wherein said vertically extending firing member body is sized to span between the anvil and the surgical staple cartridge of the surgical cutting and stapling instrument when the anvil and surgical staple cartridge are in a closed orientation, and wherein said vertically extending firing member body comprises:
• a first lateral body side;
• a second lateral body side;
• a distal end extending between said first lateral body side and said second lateral body side;
• a tissue cutting feature on said distal end;
• at least one anvil engagement feature extending from said vertically extending firing member body;
• at least one channel engagement feature extending from said vertically extending firing member body;
• and
• a movable locking member coupled to said firing member for axial travel with said firing member when said firing member is moved from a starting position adjacent a proximal end of the channel to an ending position adjacent a distal end of the channel, wherein said movable locking member comprises:
• a first engagement arm movably coupled to said first lateral body side;
• a second engagement arm movably coupled to said second lateral body side;
• and
• an unlocking feature coupled to said first engagement arm and said second engagement arm and spanning said distal end, wherein said unlocking feature is configured to move said movable locking member from a locked position in which said first engagement arm and said second engagement arm are in locking engagement with corresponding portions of the channel to prevent distal advancement of said firing member to an unlocked position in which said firing member is distally advanceable when said unlocking feature is unlockingly engaged with a staple firing sled in the surgical staple cartridge.

A stapling assembly, comprising:

• an anvil jaw;
• a staple cartridge jaw comprising a lockout feature;
• and
• a knife member comprising:
• a knife member body, wherein said knife member body comprises:
• a blade;
• and
• a lockout force-receiving surface, wherein said lockout force-receiving surface is distal to said blade, and wherein said knife member further comprises:
• a lockout member pivotally coupled to said knife member body at a location that is proximal to said lockout force-receiving surface, wherein said lockout member is configured to axially travel with said knife member when said knife member is moved from a starting position adjacent a proximal end of said staple cartridge jaw to an ending position adjacent a distal end of said staple cartridge jaw, wherein said lockout member is configured to engage said lockout feature of said staple cartridge jaw to block advancement of said knife member from the starting position when a staple cartridge is not installed within said staple cartridge jaw or when a partially-spent staple cartridge is installed within said staple cartridge jaw and a firing motion is applied to said knife member, and wherein said lockout member engages said lockout force-receiving surface when said lockout member is in engagement with said lockout feature of said staple cartridge jaw.