Surgical stapling instrument incorporating a two-piece E-beam firing mechanism

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

• a housing;
• an elongate shaft extending from said housing;
• an articulation joint;
• an end effector rotatably coupled to said elongate shaft about said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises:
• an anvil;
• and
• a cartridge jaw comprising a channel;
• a staple cartridge replaceably seated in said channel, wherein said staple cartridge comprises:
• a proximal end;
• a distal end;
• a longitudinal slot extending from said proximal end toward said distal end;
• staple cavities;
• staples removably positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are sequentially fired from said staple cavities during a staple firing stroke;
• staple drivers configured to drive said staples toward said anvil during said staple firing stroke;
• and
• a sled movable from a proximal position to a distal position during said staple firing stroke;
• a firing member configured to distally advance said sled during said staple firing stroke, wherein said firing member comprises:
• a first lateral projection configured to engage said anvil;
• a second lateral projection configured to engage said cartridge jaw;
• and
• a third lateral projection positioned between said first lateral projection and said second lateral projection;
• and
• a spent cartridge lockout configured to prevent said firing member from distally advancing to sequentially fire said staples when said staple cartridge seated in said channel is spent, wherein said sled abuts said firing member to permit the surgical stapling instrument to perform said staple firing stroke when said staple cartridge is seated in said channel and said sled is in the proximal position.

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

• an end effector, comprising:
• an anvil;
• and
• a cartridge jaw comprising a channel;
• a staple cartridge replaceably seated in said channel, wherein said staple cartridge comprises:
• a proximal end;
• a distal end;
• a longitudinal slot extending from said proximal end toward said distal end;
• staple cavities;
• staples removably positioned in said staple cavities;
• and
• staple drivers configured to drive said staples toward said anvil during a sequential staple firing stroke;
• and
• a sled movable from a proximal position to a distal position during said sequential staple firing stroke;
• a beam configured to distally advance said sled during said sequential staple firing stroke, wherein said beam comprises:
• a first lateral projection configured to engage said anvil;
• and
• a second lateral projection configured to engage said cartridge jaw;
• and
• a spent cartridge lockout configured to prevent the surgical stapling instrument from performing said sequential staple firing stroke when said staple cartridge seated in said channel is spent, wherein said sled abuts said beam to permit the surgical stapling instrument to perform said sequential staple firing stroke when said staple cartridge is seated in said channel and said sled is in the proximal position.