Surgical stapling instruments with rotatable staple deployment arrangements
A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an actuation system for selectively generating a plurality of rotary motions, and an end effector operably coupled to the actuation system. The end effector comprises a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fasteners arranged in at least two spaced fastener lines, a drive shaft configured to rotate in response to the rotary motions, a plurality of fastener deploying surfaces, and an actuation member operably interfacing with the drive shaft. The actuation member is translated axially within the fastener cartridge between a starting position and an ending position when the drive shaft is rotated. The fastener deploying surfaces are rotated in response to the actuation member being translated from the starting position to the ending position. The fasteners are sequentially ejected as the actuation member is driven from the starting position to the ending position.
1. A surgical attachment assembly configured to be operably attached to a surgical robot, wherein said surgical attachment assembly comprises:
a housing, comprising:
an attachment portion configured to be mounted to the surgical robot; and
a drive system configured to generate rotary motions;
a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fasteners removably stored therein, wherein said plurality of fasteners are arranged in at least two spaced fastener lines;
a drive shaft configured to rotate in response to said rotary motions;
a plurality of fastener deploying surfaces, wherein each said fastener deploying surface comprises a camming surface; and
an actuation member operably interfacing with said drive shaft, wherein said actuation member is configured to translate axially within said fastener cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to the rotation of said drive shaft, wherein said actuation member is configured to rotate said plurality of fastener deploying surfaces by interacting with said camming surfaces, and wherein said plurality of fastener deploying surfaces are configured to sequentially eject said plurality of fasteners as said actuation member translates between said starting position and said ending position.
2. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein said actuation member comprises a cutting surface configured to cut tissue compressed against said fastener cartridge when said actuation member translates between said starting position and said ending position.
3. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an anvil that is rotatable relative to said fastener cartridge between an open position and a closed position.
4. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 3 , wherein said actuation member is configured to engage said anvil to retain said anvil relative to said fastener cartridge as said actuation member translates from said starting position to said ending position.
5. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an actuation system for selectively generating a plurality of rotary motions; and
an end effector operably coupled to said actuation system, wherein said end effector comprises:
a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fasteners arranged in at least two spaced fastener lines;
a drive shaft configured to rotate in response to said rotary motions;
a plurality of fastener deploying surfaces; and
an actuation member operably interfacing with said drive shaft, wherein said actuation member is translated axially within said fastener cartridge between a starting position and an ending position when said drive shaft is rotated, wherein said fastener deploying surfaces are rotated in response to said actuation member being translated from said starting position to said ending position, and wherein said fasteners are sequentially ejected as the actuation member is driven from said starting position to said ending position.
6. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein said actuation member comprises a cutting surface, and wherein said cutting surface is configured to cut tissue compressed against said fastener cartridge as the actuation member is translated from said starting position to said ending position.
7. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein said end effector further comprises an anvil that is movable relative to said fastener cartridge between an open position and a closed position in response to said rotary motions.
8. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein said actuation member is configured to engage said anvil to retain said anvil relative to said fastener cartridge as said actuation member is translated from said starting position to said ending position.
9. A surgical attachment assembly configured to be operably attached to a surgical robot, wherein said surgical attachment assembly comprises:
a housing, comprising:
an attachment portion configured to be mounted to the surgical robot; and
a drive system configured to generate rotary motion;
a drive shaft configured to rotate in response to said rotary motion; and
a fastener cartridge, comprising:
a plurality of fasteners removably stored therein, wherein said plurality of fasteners are arranged in at least two spaced lines;
a plurality of camming surfaces; and
an actuation member operably interfacing with said drive shaft, wherein said actuation member is configured to translate within said fastener cartridge between a starting position and an ending position in response to the rotation of said drive shaft, and wherein said actuation member rotates said camming surfaces in sequential order as said actuation member translates between said starting position and said ending position to deploy said fasteners.
10. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 9 , wherein said actuation member comprises a cutting surface, and wherein said cutting surface is configured to cut tissue compressed against said fastener cartridge as the actuation member is translated from said starting position to said ending position.
11. The surgical attachment assembly of claim 9 , wherein each one of said plurality of camming surfaces comprises a ramped portion, and wherein each said ramped portion is configured to eject each said fastener when rotated.
12. A surgical system, comprising:
an actuation system configured to selectively generate a rotary motion; and
an end effector operably coupled to said actuation system, wherein said end effector comprises:
a fastener cartridge comprising a plurality of fasteners and a plurality of fastener deploying surfaces arranged in at least two spaced fastener lines;
a drive system configured to transmit rotary motion, wherein said drive system comprises a drive shaft; and
an actuation member operably interfacing with said drive shaft, wherein said actuation member is translated longitudinally within said fastener cartridge between a first position and a second position in response to said rotary motion, wherein said fastener deploying surfaces are rotated in response to said actuation member being translated from said first position to said second position, and wherein said fasteners are sequentially ejected as said actuation member is driven from said first position to said second position.