Firing drive arrangements for surgical systems
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorFrederick E. Shelton, IV
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The end effector assembly comprises a staple cartridge jaw, a threaded rod, and a replaceable staple cartridge configured to be seated in the staple cartridge jaw. The replaceable staple cartridge comprises a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal slot extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a driver configured to support a staple, wherein the driver comprises a surface facing the threaded rod, wherein the surface comprises a clearance, and wherein at least a portion of the threaded rod is configured to be received in the clearance when the replaceable staple cartridge is seated in the staple cartridge jaw.
Claims20
An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, wherein said end effector assembly comprises:
- a first jaw defining a channel therein;
- a drive screw;
- and
- a replaceable staple cartridge configured to be seated in said channel, wherein said replaceable staple cartridge comprises:
- a proximal end;
- a distal end;
- a cartridge body comprising a cartridge deck;
- a longitudinal slot extending between said proximal end and said distal end;
- a first longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said first longitudinal row of staple cavities is positioned alongside said longitudinal slot;
- a second longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said second longitudinal row of staple cavities is positioned alongside said first longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- first staples positioned in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- second staples positioned in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- and
- a driver movable toward said cartridge deck within one of said staple cavities of said first longitudinal row and one of said staple cavities of said second longitudinal row during a staple firing stroke, wherein said driver is configured to support one of said first staples and one of said second staples, wherein said driver comprises an exterior wall facing toward said drive screw, wherein said exterior wall comprises an arcuate portion, and wherein said drive screw extends through said arcuate portion.
An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, wherein said end effector assembly comprises:
- a staple cartridge jaw;
- a threaded rod;
- and
- a replaceable staple cartridge configured to be seated in said staple cartridge jaw, wherein said replaceable staple cartridge comprises:
- a proximal end;
- a distal end;
- a longitudinal slot extending between said proximal end and said distal end;
- a staple cavity;
- and
- a driver movably positioned in said staple cavity, wherein said driver is configured to support a staple, wherein said driver comprises a surface facing said threaded rod, wherein said surface is shaped to complement an arcuate geometry of said threaded rod.
A staple cartridge for use with a surgical instrument, wherein said staple cartridge comprises:
- a proximal end;
- a distal end;
- a cartridge body comprising a deck;
- a longitudinal slot extending between said proximal end and said distal end;
- a drive screw;
- a first longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said first longitudinal row of staple cavities is positioned alongside said longitudinal slot;
- a second longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said second longitudinal row of staple cavities is positioned alongside said first longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- first staples positioned in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- second staples positioned in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- a driver configured to support one of said first staples and one of said second staples, wherein said driver is configured to move within one of said staple cavities of said first longitudinal row and one of said staple cavities of said second longitudinal row from an unfired configuration to a fired configuration during a staple firing stroke, wherein said driver comprises an exterior surface facing toward said drive screw, and wherein said exterior surface is shaped to correspond to a geometry of said drive screw;
- and
- a sled configured to upwardly lift said driver toward said deck from said unfired configuration to said fired configuration.
An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, wherein said end effector assembly comprises:
- a first jaw;
- a second jaw;
- a replaceable staple cartridge configured to be seated in said first jaw, wherein said replaceable staple cartridge comprises:
- a proximal end;
- a distal end;
- a cartridge body;
- a longitudinal slot extending between said proximal end and said distal end;
- a first longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said first longitudinal row of staple cavities is positioned alongside said longitudinal slot;
- a second longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said second longitudinal row of staple cavities is positioned alongside said first longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- first staples positioned in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- second staples positioned in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities;
- a driver configured to support one of said first staples and one of said second staples, wherein said driver is configured to move from an unfired configuration to a fired configuration during a staple firing stroke, and wherein said driver comprises an exterior wall;
- a sled configured to upwardly lift said driver toward said second jaw from said unfired configuration to said fired configuration;
- and
- a drive screw extending within said first jaw, wherein said exterior wall of said driver faces said drive screw, and wherein at least a portion of said exterior wall is shaped to mimic an arcuate geometry of said drive screw.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.