Surgical stapler with anvil sensor and lockout
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorAugust L. Powell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical stapler is provided for applying linear parallel rows of staples. The stapler includes an anvil retention portion, a cartridge retention portion, a replaceable anvil, a cartridge housing and a blocking member. The blocking member is movable between a free-movement position and a blocking position. In the free-movement position, the blocking member permits movement of the cartridge retention portion and the anvil retention portion between open and closed positions. In the blocking position, the blocking member prevents movement of the anvil retention portion and the cartridge retention portion between the open and closed positions.
Claims8
A surgical stapler comprising:
- (a) a replaceable anvil having a staple forming surface;
- (b) a cartridge retention portion and an anvil retention portion the anvil retention portion being configured to receive said replaceable anvil, said cartridge retention portion and said anvil retention portion being operatively connected for relative movement relatively movable between a closed position in which said cartridge retention portion and said anvil retention portion are in closely spaced relationship for clamping tissue to be stapled therebetween and an open position in which said cartridge retention portion and said anvil retention portion are spaced farther from each other than in the closed position;
- (c) a cartridge housing supporting staples therein, said cartridge retention portion being adapted to receive said cartridge housing;
- (d) a firing assembly operatively associated with said cartridge housing and being movable between a pre-fired and a fired position to eject the staples from said cartridge housing;
- and
- (e) a blocking member being mounted between the cartridge retention portion and the anvil retention portion for movement between a free-movement position which affords movement of said cartridge retention portion and said anvil retention portion between the open and closed positions and a blocking position which prevents said cartridge retention portion and said anvil retention portion from being moved from the open position to the closed position, said blocking member being positioned to be engaged by said replaceable anvil to move said blocking member from said blocking position to said free-movement position when said replaceable anvil is received on said anvil retention portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.