Clamping lockout for linear surgical stapler

An apparatus comprising:

• (a) a linear surgical stapler comprising:
• (i) a first staple half having a distal portion configured to present a first stapling surface,
• (ii) a second stapler half having a distal portion configured to present a second stapling surface, wherein the first and second stapler halves are configured to releasably couple together to enable the first and second stapling surfaces to cooperate to clamp and staple tissue with a plurality of staples,
• (iii) a clamp presented by one of the first stapler half or the second stapler half, wherein the clamp is movable from a first position to a second position to approximate the first and second stapling surfaces for clamping tissue, and
• (iv) a latch configured to transition from an unlatched state to a latched state to releasably retain the clamp in the second position;
• and
• (b) an interlock device having a resilient portion and thereby being configured to inhibit at least one of the following when the first and second stapler halves are not properly aligned with one another:
• (i) transitioning of the clamp from the first position to the second position, or
• (ii) transitioning of the latch from the unlatched state to the latched state.

A method of operating a linear surgical stapler that includes a first stapler half having a stapling assembly with a plurality of staples, a second stapler half having an anvil with a plurality of staple forming pockets, a clamp lever presented by one of the first stapler half or the second stapler half, and a latch projection presented by the other of the first stapler half or the second stapler half, the method comprising:

• (a) mating a proximal end of the first stapler half with a proximal end of the second stapler half;
• (b) approximating distal ends of the first and second stapler halves while the clamp lever is in an open position so that the clamp lever is positioned to receive the latch projection;
• (c) actuating a lockout arm of the one of the first stapler half or the second stapler half with the other of the first stapler half or the second stapler half so that the lockout arm overcomes a resilient bias and moves from a lockout position to a bypass position, wherein the lockout arm in the lockout position is configured to inhibit the clamp lever from at least one of rotating from the open position to closed position or latching with a proximal end of the one of the first stapler half or the second stapler half;
• and
• (d) with the lockout arm in the bypass position, rotating the clamp lever toward the closed position in which the latch projection is captured by the clamp lever to further approximate the distal ends of the first and second stapler halves and in which the proximal end of the clamp lever latches with the proximal end of the one of the first stapler half or the second stapler half.