Surgical stapling instruments comprising shortened staple cartridge noses

A staple cartridge assembly, comprising:

• a proximal end;
• a distal cartridge end;
• a cartridge body, comprising:
• a staple cavity zone, comprising:
• a top deck surface that directly supports tissue during a firing stroke;
• a plurality of extensions extending upwardly from said top deck surface;
• and
• a first bottom surface opposite said top deck surface;
• and
• a blunt nose at said distal cartridge end, wherein said blunt nose has a nose height and a nose length, wherein said nose height is greater than or equal to said nose length, wherein said blunt nose comprises a second bottom surface and a distal tip comprising a flat surface and an angled surface, wherein said blunt nose extends below said first bottom surface, and wherein said nose height is measured from said second bottom surface to a top surface of a distal-most extension of the plurality of extensions;
• a plurality of staple cavities defined within said cartridge body, wherein said plurality of staple cavities extends longitudinally from said proximal end toward said distal cartridge end, wherein said plurality of staple cavities are located within said staple cavity zone, and wherein said nose length is measured from a distal end of the distal-most extension to said distal tip;
• a plurality of staples removably stored within said plurality of staple cavities;
• a driver configured to support at least one of said plurality of staples;
• and
• a sled movable toward said distal cartridge end during said firing stroke, wherein said sled comprises:
• a first ramp;
• and
• a second ramp, wherein said first ramp is laterally offset from said second ramp, wherein said first ramp and said second ramp are configured to lift said driver, and wherein said blunt nose of said cartridge body comprises a first recess formed within said distal cartridge end configured to receive said first ramp of said sled after the completion of said firing stroke and a second recess formed within said distal cartridge end configured to receive said second ramp of said sled after said firing stroke has been completed, wherein said first ramp and said second ramp are exposed at said distal cartridge end and remain in said distal cartridge end upon the completion of said firing stroke.