Actuator for releasing a layer of material from a surgical end effector
View Patent ↗An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument. The end effector assembly can comprise an anvil, a fastener cartridge including fastener cavities, fasteners removably positioned in the fastener cavities, a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate the anvil and the fastener cartridge, a connector, and an actuator configured to overcome the connector when actuated. The connector can secure the piece of buttress material relative to the anvil or the fastener cartridge at a location that is distal to at least one fastener cavity. The actuator can overcome the connector prior to the removal of the fasteners from the fastener cavities. Further, the actuator can extend past the fasteners in the fastener cavities, and can be actuated proximal to the fastener cavities.
1. An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
an anvil;
a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fastener cavities;
a plurality of fasteners, wherein each said fastener is removably positioned in one of said fastener cavities;
a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge;
a connector, wherein said connector secures said piece of buttress material intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge at a location, and wherein the location is distal to at least one said fastener cavity; and
an actuator configured to overcome said connector when actuated, wherein said actuator overcomes said connector prior to the removal of said fasteners from said fastener cavities, wherein said actuator comprises a slot, and wherein said slot comprises a release stop.
2. The end effector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said actuator breaks said connector when actuated.
3. The end effector assembly of claim 2 , wherein said piece of buttress material is released from said fastener cartridge when said connector breaks.
4. The end effector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said actuator dislodges said connector when actuated to release said piece of buttress material from said fastener cartridge.
5. The end effector assembly of claim 1 , comprising a firing element configured to move along said slot and configured to push through said release stop, wherein said firing element is configured to shift said actuator when said firing element pushes against said release stop.
6. The end effector assembly of claim 5 , wherein said slot comprises a first width, wherein said release stop comprises a second width that is narrower than said first width, and wherein said firing element is configured to widen said second width to pass through said release stop.
7. The end effector assembly of claim 5 , wherein said release stop comprises a breakable portion, and wherein said firing element breaks said breakable portion to pass through said release stop.
8. The end effector assembly of claim 5 , comprising a hard stop, wherein said hard stop blocks distal movement of said actuator past said hard stop.
9. The end effector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said connector comprises braided fibers.
10. The end effector assembly of claim 1 , wherein said actuator extends through at least a portion of said anvil.
11. The end effector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second piece of buttress material releasably secured to said anvil.
12. An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
an anvil;
a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fastener cavities;
a plurality of fasteners, wherein each said fastener is removably positioned in one of said fastener cavities;
a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge;
a connector, wherein said connector secures said piece of buttress material intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge at a location, and wherein the location is distal to at least one said fastener cavity; and
an actuator configured to overcome said connector when actuated, wherein said actuator overcomes said connector prior to the removal of said fasteners from said fastener cavities, wherein said actuator surrounds at least a portion of said fastener cartridge.
13. An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
an anvil;
a fastener cartridge comprising a fastener cavity;
a fastener removably positioned in said fastener cavity;
a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge;
a connector, wherein said connector secures said piece of buttress material to one of said anvil or said fastener cartridge, and wherein said connector is positioned distal to said fastener cavity;
an actuator configured to overcome said connector when actuated, wherein said actuator extends past said fastener in said fastener cavity, wherein said actuator is actuated proximal to said fastener cavity, and wherein said actuator comprises a slot; and
a firing element configured to lift said fastener toward said anvil, wherein said firing element is configured to translate along said slot.
14. The end effector assembly of claim 13 , wherein said slot comprises a release stop, wherein said firing element is configured to push through said release stop when translating along said slot, and wherein said firing element is configured to shift said actuator when said firing element pushes against said release stop.
15. The end effector assembly of claim 14 , wherein said release stop comprises a breakable portion, and wherein said firing element breaks said breakable portion to pass through said release stop.
16. The end effector assembly of claim 14 , comprising a hard stop, wherein said hard stop blocks distal movement of said actuator past said hard stop.
17. The end effector assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a second piece of buttress material releasably secured to said anvil.
18. An end effector assembly for use with a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
an anvil;
a fastener cartridge comprising a fastener cavity;
a fastener removably positioned in said fastener cavity;
a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge;
a connector, wherein said connector secures said piece of buttress material to one of said anvil or said fastener cartridge, and wherein said connector is positioned distal to said fastener cavity; and
an actuator configured to overcome said connector when actuated, wherein said actuator extends past said fastener in said fastener cavity, wherein said actuator is actuated proximal to said fastener cavity, wherein said actuator comprises a distal cutting edge, and wherein said distal cutting edge cuts said connector when said actuator is actuated.
19. The end effector assembly of claim 18 , wherein said actuator overcomes said connector prior to the removal of said fastener from said fastener cavity.
20. An end effector assembly, comprising:
an anvil;
a fastener cartridge comprising a fastener cavity;
a fastener removably positioned in said fastener cavity;
a piece of buttress material releasably secured intermediate said anvil and said fastener cartridge;
a connector, wherein said connector secures said piece of buttress material to one of said anvil or said fastener cartridge, and wherein said connector is positioned distal to said fastener cavity;
a firing element configured to lift said fastener toward said anvil during a firing stroke;
an actuator configured to overcome said connector when actuated, wherein said firing element is configured to actuate said actuator proximal to said fastener cavity, and wherein said actuator is configured to translate distally when actuated by said firing element.