Motor-driven surgical cutting and fastening instrument with tactile position feedback

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

• an elongate shaft;
• an articulation joint;
• an end effector pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft at said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises:
• a channel;
• and
• an anvil pivotally coupled to said channel, wherein said anvil is movable relative to said channel between an open position and a closed position;
• a staple cartridge replaceably seated in said channel, wherein said staple cartridge comprises:
• a cartridge body, comprising:
• a deck, comprising:
• a first anvil-facing surface comprising a plurality of staple cavities defined therein;
• and
• a second anvil-facing surface stepped relative to said first anvil-facing surface;
• a plurality of staples movably positioned in said plurality of staple cavities;
• a sled assembly, comprising:
• a plurality of distal-facing camming ramps;
• and
• a knife;
• and
• a pan attached to said cartridge body, wherein said pan comprises:
• a first lateral sidewall comprising a first plurality of windows;
• a second lateral sidewall comprising a second plurality of windows;
• and
• a base extending between said first lateral sidewall and said second lateral sidewall, wherein said base comprises a pan slot defined therein;
• a drive screw extending longitudinally within said channel, wherein said drive screw comprises a distal end;
• and
• a bearing, wherein said distal end of said drive screw is received by said bearing, wherein said bearing permits said drive screw to freely rotate with respect to said channel, and wherein a rotation of said drive screw in a first direction causes said sled assembly to translate distally through said channel.

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

• an elongate shaft;
• an articulation joint;
• an end effector pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft at said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises:
• a channel;
• and
• an anvil pivotally coupled to said channel, wherein said anvil is movable relative to said channel between an open position and a closed position;
• a staple cartridge replaceably seated in said channel, wherein said staple cartridge comprises:
• a cartridge body, comprising:
• a deck, comprising:
• a first anvil-facing surface comprising a plurality of staple cavities defined therein;
• and
• a second anvil-facing surface stepped relative to said first anvil-facing surface;
• a plurality of staples movably positioned in said plurality of staple cavities;
• a wedge sled assembly comprising a distal-facing knife;
• and
• a pan attached to said cartridge body, wherein said pan comprises:
• a first lateral sidewall comprising a first through hole defined therein;
• a second lateral sidewall comprising a second through hole defined therein;
• and
• a base extending between said first lateral sidewall and said second lateral sidewall, wherein said base comprises a pan slot defined therein;
• a drive screw extending longitudinally within said channel;
• and
• a bearing, wherein a distal portion of said drive screw is received by said bearing, wherein said bearing permits said drive screw to freely rotate with respect to said channel.

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

• an elongate shaft assembly;
• an articulation joint;
• an end effector pivotally coupled to said elongate shaft assembly about said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises:
• a first jaw;
• and
• a second jaw pivotally coupled to said first jaw, wherein said second jaw is movable relative to said first jaw between an open position and a closed position;
• a replaceable staple cartridge assembly, comprising:
• a cartridge body, comprising:
• a deck, comprising:
• a first tissue-facing surface comprising a plurality of staple cavities defined therein;
• and
• a second tissue-facing surface stepped relative to said first tissue-facing surface;
• a plurality of staples movably positioned in said plurality of staple cavities;
• and
• a sled comprising a cutting surface;
• a drive screw extending longitudinally within said end effector, wherein a rotation of said drive screw in a first direction causes said sled to translate distally through a staple firing stroke;
• and
• a bearing, wherein a distal end of said drive screw is received by said bearing, wherein said drive screw extends proximally from said bearing and projects proximally from said cartridge body, and wherein said bearing permits said drive screw to freely rotate with respect to said end effector.