Surgical stapling apparatus
A surgical stapling apparatus (stapler) is provided. The stapler includes a housing, elongated member, and a reload. A cartridge is configured to selectively couple to a first jaw member of the reload and includes one or more resilient members thereon. An anvil operably supported on a second jaw member of the reload is configured to compress one or more fasteners ejected from the cartridge. The anvil includes one or more locking members thereon. A knife is configured to translate through the cartridge and anvil when the first and second jaw members are in a closed configuration. Engagement between the knife and the resilient member(s) causes the resilient member(s) to move from an initial configuration that allows the knife to travel distally past the locking member(s) to a final configuration that allows the locking member(s) to engage the knife.
1. A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:
a first jaw member having a lockout assembly including a pivotable first latch, the first jaw member defining a recess;
a second jaw member having an anvil with staple forming depressions;
a drive member movable from a retracted to an advanced position, the drive member having a flange positioned to engage the first jaw member as the drive member is moved to the advanced position such that the drive member moves at least one of the first and second jaw members towards a closed configuration, the first latch being biased toward the recess in the first jaw member, the first latch being engagable with the flange when the first latch is disposed within the recess; and
a cartridge configured to selectively couple to the first jaw member, the cartridge including fasteners and a sled, the sled being positioned to be engaged by the drive member to drive the fasteners from the cartridge as the drive member is moved to the advanced position, the sled including a blocking member at a proximal end thereof, the blocking member being positioned and configured to cover the recess when the cartridge is coupled to the first jaw member to allow the drive member to move during firing.
2. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second latch biased toward the recess in the first jaw member, the blocking member engaging the first and second latches to allow the drive member to move during firing.
3. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first latch has an arm that engages a spring to bias the first latch in the direction of the recess.
4. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first latch has an elongate member with a protuberance for engaging the recess.
5. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first latch has an angled leading surface adjacent the protuberance for contacting the flange of the drive member and allowing the drive member to retract to the retracted position.
6. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a shaft and a pivot assembly, the pivot assembly pivotably mounting the first and second jaw members to a distal end of the shaft.
7. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the pivot assembly defines a cavity that receives a spring which biases the first latch towards the recess in the first jaw member.
8. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the pivot assembly defines a cavity that receives a spring which biases the first jaw member towards an open position.
9. A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:
a drive member movable from a retracted to an advanced position;
a first jaw member including a pivotable latch and defining a recess, the pivotable latch biased toward the recess in the first jaw member, the pivotable latch being positioned and configured to engage the drive member when the pivotable latch is disposed within the recess, the drive member being prevented from moving from the retracted position to the advanced position;
a second jaw member, at least one of the first and second jaw members being positioned to be engaged by the drive member as the drive member is moved towards the advanced position to move the at least one of the first and second jaw members towards a clamped condition; and
a cartridge configured to be releasably coupled to the first jaw member, the cartridge including fasteners and a sled, the drive member being positioned to engage the sled to move the sled from a pre-fired position to a fired position such that the sled drives the fasteners from the cartridge, the sled including a blocking member that covers the recess when the sled is in the pre-fired position, the blocking member being positioned distal to the recess after the sled has been moved towards the fired position distal to the recess.