SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS AND STAPLE-FORMING ANVILS
An adaptor for an end effector is disclosed. The adaptor can include a staple cartridge having a plurality of staple cavities and a plurality of staples positioned in the staple cavities. The adaptor can also include an anvil plate comprising an arrangement of staple-forming pockets that differs from the staple-forming pockets in the anvil of the end effector. The arrangement of staple cavities in the staple cartridge can correspond to the arrangement of staple-forming pockets in the anvil plate. Additionally or alternatively, the staples in the staple cartridge can be misaligned with the staple-forming pockets in the anvil. The adaptor can include a deformable overmold positioned over the anvil plate, and the anvil plate can comprise a stamped metal sheet.
1 . An adaptor for use with an end effector having an anvil comprising a first arrangement of staple-forming pockets, the adaptor comprising:
a staple cartridge comprising a plurality of staples; and
an anvil plate comprising a second arrangement of staple-forming pockets, wherein said second arrangement of staple-forming pockets is different than the first arrangement of staple-forming pockets.
2 . The adaptor of claim 1 , wherein said anvil plate further comprises an alignment feature configured to engage the anvil.
3 . The adaptor of claim 2 , wherein said anvil plate further comprises an alignment post positioned in an alignment aperture in said staple cartridge.
4 . The adaptor of claim 2 , wherein said anvil plate further comprises an alignment ridge aligned with a longitudinal slot in the anvil.
5 . The adaptor of claim 1 , further comprising a spring connection between said staple cartridge and said anvil plate.
6 . The adaptor of claim 1 , further comprising a deformable material.
7 . The adaptor of claim 6 , wherein said deformable material comprises an overmold on said anvil plate.
8 . The adaptor of claim 1 , wherein said anvil plate comprises a stamped metal sheet.
9 . The adaptor of claim 1 , wherein said second arrangement of staple-forming pockets are partially nested in the first arrangement of staple-forming pockets.
10 . The adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the first arrangement of staple-forming pockets comprises a plurality of rows of parallel staple-forming pockets, and wherein said second arrangement of staple-forming pockets comprises a plurality of rows of angled staple-forming pockets.
11 . The adaptor of claim 10 , wherein said staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body, wherein a plurality of staple cavities are defined in said cartridge body, and wherein said staple cavities are arranged in a plurality of angled rows corresponding to said plurality of rows of angled staple-forming pockets.
12 . An adaptor for use with an end effector having a staple-forming anvil, the adaptor comprising:
a staple cartridge, comprising:
a plurality of staple cavities; and
a plurality of staples positioned in said staple cavities; and
an anvil plate, wherein the anvil plate is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the staple cartridge, and wherein the anvil plate comprises:
a plurality of staple-forming pockets, wherein each said staple is aligned with a corresponding said staple-forming pocket when said anvil plate is in the closed position; and
an alignment feature configured to engage the staple-forming anvil.
13 . The adaptor of claim 12 , further comprising a deformable overmold on said anvil plate.
14 . The adaptor of claim 12 , wherein said anvil plate comprises a stamped metal sheet.
15 . The adaptor of claim 12 , wherein said staple cavities are arranged in a herringbone pattern, and wherein said staple-forming pockets are arranged in a corresponding herringbone pattern.
16 . An adaptor for use with an end effector having an anvil comprising a plurality of first staple-forming pockets, the adaptor comprising:
a staple cartridge, comprising:
a plurality of staple cavities; and
a plurality of staples positioned in said staple cavities, wherein said plurality of staples are misaligned with the first staple-forming pockets; and
an anvil plate comprising a plurality of second staple-forming pockets, wherein said staples are aligned with said second staple-forming pockets.
17 . The adaptor of claim 16 , further comprising a deformable overmold on said anvil plate.
18 . The adaptor of claim 16 , wherein said anvil plate comprises a stamped metal sheet.
19 . The adaptor of claim 16 , wherein said second staple-forming pockets are partially nested in the first staple-forming pockets.
20 . The adaptor of claim 16 , wherein the first staple-forming pockets are arranged in a plurality of rows of parallel staple-forming pockets, and wherein said second staple-forming pockets are arranged in a plurality of rows of angled staple-forming pockets.