Ejecting assembly for a surgical stapler

An end effector comprising:

• first and second jaws moveable relative to one another;
• a drive screw disposed within the first jaw and defining a longitudinal axis;
• a lead screw nut defining a threaded bore, the threaded bore receiving the drive screw, the lead screw nut is translated along the drive screw as the drive screw is rotated in a first direction or a second direction, opposite the first direction;
• a drive beam releasably coupled to the lead screw nut when the lead screw nut is in a retracted position, the drive beam being pulled by the lead screw nut as the lead screw nut is advanced towards a first advanced position, the drive beam decoupling from the lead screw nut as the lead screw nut is advanced to the first advanced position such that the lead screw nut is advanced relative to the drive beam from the first advanced position to a second advanced position and
• a latch including an elongated portion, the elongated portion having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the elongated portion pivotally coupled to the drive beam, the distal end of the elongated portion including a bridge, the bridge received within a notch defined by the lead screw nut when the lead screw nut is in the retracted position to couple the drive beam to the lead screw nut.

A surgical stapling instrument comprising:

• a powered handle assembly;
• an end effector including:
• a first jaw and a second jaw moveable relative to one another;
• a drive screw disposed within the first jaw and defining a longitudinal axis;
• a lead screw nut defining a threaded bore, the threaded bore receiving the drive screw so that the lead screw nut is advanced along the drive screw as the drive screw is rotated in a first direction and is retracted along the drive screw as the drive screw is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction;
• a drive beam releasably coupled to the nut when the lead screw nut is in a retracted position;
• and
• a bridge including a latch for releasably coupling the drive beam to the lead screw nut;
• and
• wherein:
• the drive beam is pulled by the nut as the lead screw nut is advanced towards a first advanced position;
• the drive beam decouples from the lead screw nut as the lead screw nut is advanced to the first advanced position, and
• the drive screw advances the nut relative to the drive beam from the first advanced position to a second advanced position.

A surgical stapling instrument comprising:

• a powered handle assembly;
• an end effector including:
• a first jaw and a second jaw moveable relative to one another;
• a drive screw disposed within the first jaw and defining a longitudinal axis;
• a lead screw nut defining a threaded bore, the threaded bore receiving the drive screw so that the lead screw nut is advanced along the drive screw as the drive screw is rotated in a first direction and is retracted along the drive screw as the drive screw is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction;
• and
• a drive beam releasably coupled to the nut when the lead screw nut is in a retracted position;
• and
• wherein:
• the lead screw nut engages a proximal surface of the sled at a first advanced position, the lead screw nut pushing the sled distally as the lead screw nut is advanced from the first advanced position towards the second advanced position,
• when the lead screw nut is retracted to the first advanced position after pushing the sled the sled remains stationary in a position between the first and second advanced positions, and
• when the lead screw nut is retracted from the first advanced position towards the retracted position, the lead screw nut pushes the drive beam towards the retracted position and couples to the drive beam.