Surgical stapling head assembly with firing lockout for a surgical stapler
View Patent ↗In various embodiments, a surgical stapling head is provided that may comprise a staple cartridge for supporting one or more staples, a core movable relative to the staple cartridge, at least one staple driver extending from the core, and a casing configured to at least partially hold the staple cartridge and movably receive the core and the staple driver(s). The casing may further comprise at least one retention member that is configured to move from a first position to a second position when sufficient external force is applied to the retention member, such as that provided by a shaft of a surgical stapler during insertion of the stapling head assembly into the shaft. When the retention member(s) are at the second position, the staple driver(s) may be prevented from driving staples from the staple cartridge, thereby providing a firing lockout feature to the stapling head assembly during insertion into at least a portion of a surgical stapler.
1. A surgical stapling head assembly, comprising a casing configured to at least partially operably support one or more surgical staples therein, said casing further configured to movably receive a core and at least one staple driver therein, said casing further having at least one retention member that is configured to move from a first position to a second position when sufficient external force is applied to the retention member, and wherein when the at least one retention member is at the second position, the at least one staple driver is prevented from driving the staples from the casing.
2. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the core further comprises a recess sized and configured to receive the at least one retention member when the at least one retention member is at the second position.
3. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retention member is resiliently deflectable.
4. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 3 , wherein the retention member comprises a cantilevered arm.
5. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 3 , wherein the cantilevered arm is curved about a longitudinal axis defined by the casing.
6. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 3 , wherein the cantilevered arm extends in a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the casing.
7. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 3 , wherein the retention member is unitary and integrally formed with the casing.
8. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 1 , wherein said one or more surgical staples are supported in a staple cartridge supported in said casing.
9. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a cutting member operably coupled to the core.
10. A surgical stapler, comprising:
a body comprising:
a handle portion; and
a shaft portion extending from the handle portion;
a stapling head assembly releasably coupled to the shaft portion, the stapling head assembly comprising:
a casing configured to at least partially operably support one or more surgical staples therein, said casing further configured to movably support a core and at least one staple driver therein, said casing further having at least one retention member that is configured to move from a first position to a second position when sufficient external force is applied to the retention member, and wherein when the at least one retention member is at the second position, the at least one staple driver is prevented from driving the staples from the casing;
a drive system for applying drive motions to the at least one staple driver;
an anvil movably supported relative to the casing for axial movement toward and away from the casing; and
an anvil adjustment assembly for selectively adjusting an axial position of the anvil relative to the casing.
11. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 10 , wherein the core further comprises a recess sized and configured to receive the at least one retention member when the at least one retention member is at the second position.
12. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 10 , wherein the retention member is resiliently deflectable.
13. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 12 , wherein the retention member comprises a cantilevered arm.
14. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 12 , wherein the cantilevered aim is curved about a longitudinal axis defined by the casing.
15. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 12 , wherein the cantilevered arm extends in a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the casing.
16. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 12 , wherein the retention member is unitary and integrally formed with the casing.
17. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 10 , wherein said one or more surgical staples are supported in a staple cartridge supported in said casing.
18. The surgical stapling head assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a cutting member operably coupled to the core.
19. A surgical stapling head assembly, comprising:
a casing configured to operably support one or more surgical staples therein, said casing configured to movably receive a core and at least one staple driver therein; and
lockout means for preventing the at least one staple driver from driving staples from the staple cartridge.