Staple cartridge with shipping wedge
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsThomas Hessler, Stanislaw Kostrzewski, Ernest Aranyi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An end effector usable with a surgical instrument includes a first jaw pivotably coupled to a second jaw. The first jaw includes staple forming depressions. A staple cartridge is releasably attachable to a channel of the second jaw. A plurality of staples is disposed in the staple cartridge. A shipping wedge is releasably attached to the staple cartridge. The shipping wedge maintains the staples in their respective retention slots and is usable to separate the staple cartridge from the channel of the second jaw.
Claims20
A surgical instrument comprising:
- a first jaw pivotably coupled to a second jaw, the second jaw having a channel;
- a staple cartridge positioned in the channel, the staple cartridge and the second jaw defining a gap therebetween;
- and
- a shipping wedge releasably attached to the staple cartridge, the shipping wedge having a tongue extending from one end thereof, the tongue insertable into the gap when the staple cartridge is positioned in the channel such that manipulating the shipping wedge separates the staple cartridge from the second jaw.
A method of removing a cartridge assembly from a stapling instrument, comprising:
- separating a shipping wedge from a staple cartridge, the staple cartridge being part of a cartridge assembly including a plurality of staples and staple pushers;
- inserting a distal end of the shipping wedge into a gap between the staple cartridge and the stapling instrument when the staple cartridge is coupled to the stapling instrument;
- and
- manipulating the distal end of the shipping wedge within the gap to separate the staple cartridge from the stapling instrument.
A method of replacing a staple cartridge of a stapling instrument, comprising:
- separating a shipping wedge from a staple cartridge, the staple cartridge and shipping wedge being part of a cartridge assembly including a plurality of staples and staple pushers;
- inserting a distal end of the shipping wedge into a gap between the staple cartridge and the stapling instrument when the staple cartridge is coupled to the stapling instrument;
- manipulating the distal end of the shipping wedge within the gap to separate the staple cartridge from the stapling instrument;
- and
- replacing the staple cartridge with an unfired staple cartridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.