Surgical stapling device with multiple stacked actuator wedge cams for driving staple drivers

A surgical stapling device comprising:

• an end effector comprising:
• an anvil having a staple forming surface;
• and
• a staple cartridge facing the staple forming surface of the anvil, wherein the staple cartridge further comprises:
• a plurality of staples;
• and
• a plurality of staple drivers moveably supportable within the staple cartridge, each staple driver in contact with one of the staples and configured such that when the staple drivers are actuated, the staple drivers drive the staples through the staple cartridge so that the staples are formed against the staple forming surface of the anvil;
• and
• a plurality of actuatable wedge band sets, each stacked wedge band set comprising at least two vertically stacked, different-level, separately actuatable wedge bands for axially traversing the end effector, wherein each wedge band comprises a wedge cam at its distal end for driving certain ones of the staple drivers when the wedge band is actuated, wherein a first of the two wedge bands in the stacks rides on a second of the two wedge bands in the stacks such that the staple drivers are driven in successive stages by the at least two wedge bands when the wedge bands are driven separately in succession, wherein the cumulative height of a first of the plurality of stacked wedge band sets is less than a cumulative height of a second of the plurality of stacked wedge band sets.

A surgical stapling device comprising:

• an end effector comprising:
• an anvil comprising a staple forming surface;
• a plurality of staples facing the staple forming surface;
• a plurality of staple drivers, each staple driver in contact with one of the staples and configured such that when the staple drivers are actuated, the staple drivers drive the staples through the staple cartridge so that the staples are formed against the staple forming surface of the anvil;
• and
• a shaft assembly connected to the end effector, wherein the shaft assembly houses a plurality of actuatable wedge band sets, each stacked wedge band set comprising at least two vertically stacked, different-levels, separately actuatable wedge bands for axially traversing the end effector, wherein each wedge band comprises a wedge cam at its distal end for driving certain ones of the staple drivers when the wedge band is actuated, wherein a first of the two wedge bands in the stacks rides on a second of the two wedge bands in the stacks such that the staple drivers are driven in successive stages by the at least two wedge bands when the wedge bands are driven separately in succession, wherein the cumulative height of a first of the plurality of stacked wedge band sets is less than a cumulative height of a second of the plurality of stacked wedge band sets.