Safety device for a surgical stapler cartridge

A staple cartridge assembly adapted for use in a surgical stapler having first and second structural members each being elongate in a first direction and each comprising a handle part having first and second ends and a jaw part projecting from said first end,

• said structural members having pivot means at said second ends adapted for free engagement and disengagement in a plane normal to said first direction for affording, when engaged, relative pivotal movement of said structural members between a closed position with said jaw parts in closely spaced relationship, and an open position with said jaw parts spaced farther from each other than in said closed position, said handle parts of said structural members in said closed position defining a space between said handle parts over the majority of the distance between said first and second ends when said structural members are in said closed position;
• an elongate locking member having first and second ends, a safety stop surface adjacent the first end of the locking member, and a pivot point closely adjacent the first end of the locking member, the pivot point of said locking member being mounted on said second structural member adjacent the first end of said second structural member for pivotal movement between a locking position generally aligned with the handle part of said second structural member, and a release position with the second end of said locking member spaced from the second end of said second structural member, said first end of said locking member and said first end of said first structural member having surfaces adapted, when said pivot means are engaged with said structural members in said open position, for engagement during movement of said locking member from said release position to said locking position to forcefully move said structural members to said closed position,
• and means adapted for releasable engagement between said elongate locking member and said second structural member for holding said locking member in said locking position;
• said first structural member being adapted to receive said staple cartridge assembly and said jaw part of said second structural member being adapted to receive an anvil;
• wherein said staple cartridge assembly comprises:
• a cartridge housing for enclosing a plurality of staples,
• a pusher for sequentially pressing said plurality of staples within said cartridge housing against said anvil to engage and close the plurality of staples in tissues between said jaw parts when said structural members are in said closed position, said pusher being movable in said first direction between a retracted position with said plurality of staples enclosed within said cartridge housing and an extended position with said plurality of staples closed within tissue,
• manually actuatable means within said space between said handle parts for moving said pusher from said retracted to said extended position, and
• a safety body having first and second ends, said safety body having a shoulder surface between said first and second ends and an abutment surface generally adjacent said second end adapted to abut said safety stop surface,
• pivotal mounting means for mounting said first end of said safety body on said cartridge housing for pivotal movement of said safety body between a pre-fired position for affording movement of said structural members between said closed and open position and a fired position with said abutment surface of said safety body adapted to be in engagement with said safety stop surface,
• biasing means adapted to be received by said shoulder surface of said safety body for biasing said safety body toward said fired position,
• means for releasable engagement between said biasing means and said pusher for retaining said biasing means in a disengaged position when said pusher is in said retracted position and for releasing said biasing means to afford movement of said safety body toward said fired position under the influence of said biasing means when said pusher is moved from said retracted position toward said extended position,
• wherein after said pusher has been moved from said retracted position to said extended position, said biasing means has moved said safety body from said pre-fired position toward said fired position, and said first and second structural members are moved from said closed to said open position, said abutment surface will be in a position to prevent said first and second structural members from being moved to said closed position to thereby prevent accidental tissue trauma.