Lockout engagement features for surgical stapler

A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

• (a) a body, wherein the body is configured to be removably inserted into a jaw of the surgical stapling instrument;
• (b) a deck configured to engage tissue, wherein the deck includes a plurality of openings configured to house a plurality of staples, wherein the staple cartridge is operable to eject the staples into tissue engaged by the deck;
• (c) a channel extending longitudinally through the body and the deck, wherein the channel is configured to slidably receive a knife member operable to translate distally through the channel to cut the tissue engaged by the deck;
• and
• (d) a lockout feature disposed within the channel, wherein the lockout feature is movably coupled to a sidewall of the channel,
• wherein the lockout feature is movable relative to the sidewall between a first position in which the lockout feature is configured to permit distal translation of the knife member through the channel, and a second position in which the lockout feature is configured to promote hindrance of distal translation of the knife member through the channel,
• wherein the lockout feature is configured to assume and maintain the second position after the knife member is advanced distally through the channel.

A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

• (a) a body, wherein the body is configured to be removably inserted into a jaw of the surgical stapling instrument;
• (b) a deck configured to engage tissue, wherein the deck includes a plurality of openings configured to house a plurality of staples, wherein the staple cartridge is operable to eject the staples into tissue engaged by the deck;
• (c) a channel extending longitudinally through the body and the deck, wherein the channel is configured to slidably receive a knife member operable to translate distally through the channel to cut the tissue engaged by the deck;
• (d) a recess arranged in a sidewall of the channel;
• and
• (e) a lockout feature movably disposed within the channel,
• wherein the lockout feature is movable relative to the sidewall between an exposed position in which the lockout feature extends outwardly from the recess and into the channel, and an unexposed position in which the lockout feature is at least partially retracted within the recess,
• wherein in the exposed position the lockout feature is oriented to contact a distal feature of the knife member,
• wherein in the unexposed position the lockout feature is oriented in non-contact relation with the distal feature of the knife member.

A surgical stapling instrument comprising:

• (a) an instrument body;
• (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the instrument body;
• and
• (c) an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the shaft assembly comprises:
• (i) a first jaw,
• (ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to clamp tissue therebetween,
• (iii) a knife member configured to translate along a longitudinal axis of the end effector to cut the clamped, and
• (iv) a staple cartridge removably received within one of the first jaw or the second jaw, wherein the staple cartridge comprises:
• (A) a cartridge body,
• (B) a deck configured to engage the clamped tissue, wherein the deck includes a plurality of openings configured to house a plurality of staples, wherein the end effector is operable to eject the staples into the clamped tissue,
• (C) a channel extending longitudinally through the cartridge body and the deck, wherein the knife member is configured to translate distally through the channel to cut the clamped tissue, and
• (D) a tab disposed within the channel and pivotably coupled to a sidewall of the channel,
• wherein the tab is pivotable between a first position in which the tab is configured to permit distal translation of the knife member through the channel, and a second position in which the tab is configured to promote hindrance of distal translation of the knife member through the channel.