Staple cartridge retainer system with authentication keys
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsChad P. Boudreaux, Gregory J. Bakos, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Abstract
A retainer system for use with staple cartridges configured for use with a surgical stapling device is disclosed. The retainer comprises a retainer body that is configured to be attached to the staple cartridge by retention features. The system includes a tool that moves the retention features between a first state wherein the retention features prevent the retainer from being attached to the staple cartridge to a second state where the retainer may be coupled to the staple cartridge by the retention features.
Claims19
A retainer system for use with staple cartridges configured for use with a surgical stapling device comprising a lockout for preventing operation of the surgical stapling device, wherein said retainer system comprises:
- a retainer, comprising:
- a retainer body configured to be mounted to a staple cartridge to form a cartridge assembly, wherein said cartridge assembly is configured to be seated in the surgical stapling device, and wherein said retainer body comprises an authentication key configured to defeat the lockout when said cartridge assembly is seated in the surgical stapling device;
- and
- at least one retention tab protruding from said retainer body and biased into a first state, wherein said at least one retention tab is unable to couple said retainer body to the staple cartridge when said at least one retention tab is in said first state, and wherein said retainer system further comprises:
- a retainer tool configured to move each said at least one retention tab from said first state to a second state when said retainer tool is brought into operable engagement therewith, wherein each said at least one retention tab is moved into retaining engagement with a portion of the staple cartridge to removably affix said retainer body to the staple cartridge when said at least one retention tab is in said second state and said retainer tool is disengaged from said at least one retention tab.
ainer system of claim 6, wherein said retainer tool comprises:
- a tool body sized to be removably received on a deck of the staple cartridge;
- and
- an opening extending through said tool body, wherein said opening is aligned with a slot in the staple cartridge when said tool body is positioned on the deck, and wherein said opening is configured to move said at least one retention tab from said first state to said second state when said at least one retention tab is inserted through said opening in said tool body into the slot in the staple cartridge and thereafter permit the tool body to be slidably removed from the deck.
The retainer system of claim 7, wherein said tool body is sized to protrude past at least one end of the staple cartridge when said tool body is supported on the deck.
A retainer for use with a staple cartridge configured for use with a surgical stapling device comprising a lockout for preventing operation of the surgical stapling device, wherein said retainer comprises:
- a retainer body configured to be removably mounted to the staple cartridge to form a cartridge assembly, wherein the cartridge assembly is configured to be seated in the surgical stapling device, and wherein said retainer body comprises an authentication key configured to defeat said lockout when said cartridge assembly is seated in the surgical stapling device;
- and
- at least one deformable retention member protruding from said retainer body, wherein each said deformable retention member is configured to releasably couple said retainer body to the staple cartridge, wherein each said deformable retention member is initially oriented in a first state wherein said deformable retention member prevents said retainer body from being coupled to the staple cartridge, and wherein each said deformable retention member is movable to a second state wherein said deformable retention member is releasably couplable to the staple cartridge to removably attach said retainer body to the staple cartridge.
A retainer for use with a staple cartridge configured for use with a surgical stapling device comprising a lockout for preventing operation of the surgical stapling device, wherein said retainer comprises:
- a retainer body sized to be received on a deck surface of the staple cartridge, wherein said retainer body comprises retention tabs configured to removably couple said retainer body to the staple cartridge to form a cartridge assembly, and wherein said cartridge assembly is configured to be seated in the surgical stapling device;
- and
- a retainer detachment member movably coupled to said retainer body, wherein said retainer detachment member comprises an authentication key and is movable from a first position wherein said authentication key defeats the lockout when said cartridge assembly is seated in the surgical stapling device and a second retainer ejection position wherein said retainer detachment member decouples said retainer from the staple cartridge.
A retainer for use with a surgical stapling device comprising a lockout for preventing operation of the surgical stapling device, wherein the surgical stapling device further comprises a frame configured to removably support a staple cartridge therein such that a nose of the staple cartridge protrudes from the frame when the staple cartridge is seated therein, and wherein said retainer comprises:
- a retainer body configured to be removably attached to the staple cartridge to form a cartridge assembly, wherein said cartridge assembly is configured to be seated in the frame of the surgical stapling device;
- an authentication key protruding from said retainer body, wherein said authentication key is configured to defeat the lockout when said cartridge assembly is seated in the frame;
- and
- a pry bar portion configured to engage the nose of the staple cartridge protruding from the frame to apply a prying motion thereto to dislodge the staple cartridge from the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.