Cartridge receiving jaw for surgical stapler and associated method of manufacture with stamping
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorsAnil K. Nalagatla, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Chester O. Baxter, III, Jason L. Harris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is used to manufacture a lower jaw of an end effector of a surgical instrument. The method includes providing a lower jaw that includes a U-shaped body portion. The U-shaped body portion includes a bottom wall interposed between first and second opposing side walls. The method also includes forming at least one feature into at least one of the first and second side walls, wherein the at least one feature has a near net shape. The method also includes subsequently machining the at least one feature to have a machined shape.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a lower jaw of an end effector of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
- (a) forming a body portion of the lower jaw using at least one of stamping, additive manufacturing, selective laser melting, direct metal laser sintering, or metal injection molding, wherein the body portion includes a bottom wall interposed between first and second opposing side walls;
- (b) forming at least one feature into at least one of the first or second side walls;
- and
- (c) machining the at least one feature into at least one of the first or second side walls after forming the at least one feature.
A method of manufacturing a lower jaw of an end effector of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
- (a) forming a body portion of the lower jaw of the end effector of the surgical instrument, wherein the body portion includes a bottom wall and opposing first and second side walls;
- (b) stamping the first side wall to include a first distal cutout, wherein the first distal cutout has a first area prior to machining;
- (c) stamping the second side wall to include a second distal cutout, wherein the second distal cutout has the first area prior to machining;
- and
- (d) subsequently machining the first and second distal cutouts to each have a second area that is greater than the first area.
An instrument, comprising:
- (a) a shaft extending distally;
- and
- (b) an end effector in communication with the shaft, wherein the end effector is operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue, wherein the end effector includes a lower jaw comprising:
- (i) a bottom wall,
- (ii) a first side wall extending from the bottom wall, wherein the first side wall includes a first feature having a first machined shape produced by machining a first initial shape, the first feature having a machined surface finish, and
- (iii) a second side wall extending from the bottom wall and disposed opposite the first side wall, wherein the second side wall includes a second feature having a second machined shape produced by machining a second initial shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.