SURGICAL CUTTING AND FASTENING DEVICES WITH PIVOTABLE ANVIL WITH A TISSUE LOCATING ARRANGEMENT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO AN ANVIL PIVOT AXIS
A surgical instrument that includes a first jaw and a second jaw that is pivotally attached to the first jaw. At least one tissue locating feature on the second jaw extends downward beyond a second surface on the second jaw and is configured to prevent tissue received between a first surface on the first jaw and the second surface on the second jaw from extending proximally beyond a distal end portion of the at least one tissue locating feature. When the second jaw is in a fully open position, the distal end portion of each tissue locating feature is positioned relative to a corresponding portion of the first surface to prevent a gap therebetween and wherein a jaw aperture angle between the first and second surfaces when the second jaw is in the fully open position is greater than 12.25 degrees.
1 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
a surgical end effector, comprising:
a first jaw defining a first tissue contacting surface; and
a second jaw pivotally coupled to said first jaw and selectively movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position about a fixed jaw pivot axis, said second jaw comprising:
a second tissue contacting surface facing said first tissue contacting surface; and
at least one tissue locating feature on said second jaw and extending downward beyond said second tissue contacting surface and configured to prevent tissue received between said first and second tissue contacting surfaces from extending proximally beyond a distal end portion of said at least one tissue locating feature when said second jaw is in said fully closed position wherein, when said second jaw is in said fully open position, said distal end portion of each said tissue locating feature is positioned relative to a corresponding portion of said first tissue contacting surface to prevent a gap therebetween and wherein a jaw aperture angle between said first and second tissue contacting surfaces when said second jaw is in said fully open position is greater than 12.25 degrees.
2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said distal end portion of each said tissue locating feature is located a distance that is less than 0.750 inches from said fixed jaw pivot axis when said second jaw is in said fully closed position.
3 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said first jaw comprises an elongate channel configured to operably support a surgical fastener cartridge therein and wherein said first tissue contacting surface comprises a deck surface of said surgical fastener cartridge.
4 . The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein said second jaw comprises an anvil and wherein said second tissue contacting surface comprises a fastener forming undersurface of a portion of said anvil.
5 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein said anvil comprises an anvil body portion and wherein said at least one tissue locating feature is formed on a proximal portion of said anvil body portion.
6 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said surgical end effector is sized to pass through a trocar cannula when said second jaw is in said fully closed position.
7 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising means for applying closing and opening motions to said second jaw.
8 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein said means for applying closing and opening motions comprises an axially movable closure tube comprising:
a closure cam surface on a distal end thereof configured to cammingly engage a jaw cam surface on said second jaw to apply closure motions thereto; and
at least one jaw opening feature configured to apply jaw opening motions to said second jaw when said axially movable closure tube is moved in a proximal direction.
9 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
a surgical end effector, comprising:
a surgical fastener cartridge comprising a cartridge body operably supporting a plurality of surgical fasteners therein, said cartridge body defining a tissue contacting surface through which said surgical fasteners are ejected; and
an anvil pivotally supported relative to said surgical fastener cartridge for selective pivotal travel relative thereto between a fully open position and a fully closed position about a fixed jaw pivot axis, said anvil comprising:
an anvil body defining a fastener forming surface thereon comprising a plurality of fastener forming formations, wherein each said fastener forming formation corresponds to one of said surgical fasteners in said surgical fastener cartridge, said fastener forming surface facing said tissue contacting surface on said surgical fastener cartridge; and
at least one tissue stop protruding from said anvil body and extending downward beyond said fastener forming surface and configured to prevent tissue received between said tissue contacting surface and said fastener forming surface from extending proximally beyond a distal end portion of said at least one tissue stop when said anvil is in said fully closed position wherein when said anvil is in said fully closed position, said distal end portion of each said tissue stop is spaced from said fixed jaw pivot axis an axial distance that is less than 0.750 inches and wherein a vertical distance between a distalmost one of said fasteners in said surgical cartridge and a corresponding one of said fastener forming formations on said fastener forming surface when said anvil is in said fully open position is at least 0.900 inches.
10 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein when said anvil is in said fully open position, a jaw aperture angle between said fastener forming surface and said tissue contacting surface is greater than 12.25 degrees.
11 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said surgical end effector is sized to pass through a trocar cannula when said anvil is in said fully closed position.
12 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , further comprising means for applying closing and opening motions to said anvil.
13 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein said means for applying closing and opening motions comprises an axially movable closure tube comprising:
a closure cam surface on a distal end thereof configured to cammingly engage an anvil cam surface on said anvil to apply closure motions thereto; and
at least one jaw opening feature configured to apply jaw opening motions to said anvil when said axially movable closure tube is moved in a proximal direction.
14 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein said surgical end effector is operably coupled to an elongate shaft assembly that defines a shaft axis.
15 . The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein said tissue contacting surface of said cartridge body is parallel to said shaft axis and wherein said vertical distance is measured along a line extending from a distal most fastener and said corresponding fastener forming formation and perpendicular to said shaft axis.
16 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein when said anvil is in said fully open position, said distal end portion of each said tissue stop is positioned relative to a corresponding portion of said tissue contacting surface to prevent a gap therebetween.
17 . The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein, when said anvil is in said fully open position, a portion of each said tissue stop is even with or extends below said tissue contacting surface to prevent tissue on said tissue contacting surface from extending proximally past the tissue stops.
18 . A surgical system, comprising:
a housing operably supporting a closure system; and
an interchangeable surgical tool assembly comprising:
an elongate shaft assembly operably and removably couplable to said housing such that a proximal closure portion thereof is configured to receive axial closure motions from said closure system, said elongate shaft assembly defining a shaft axis; and
a surgical end effector operably coupled to said elongate shaft assembly for selective articulation relative thereto about an articulation axis that is transverse to said shaft axis, said surgical end effector comprising:
a surgical fastener cartridge comprising a cartridge body operably supporting a plurality of surgical fasteners therein, said cartridge body defining a tissue contacting surface through which said surgical fasteners are ejected; and
an anvil pivotally supported relative to said surgical fastener cartridge for selective pivotal travel relative thereto between a fully open position and a fully closed position about a fixed jaw pivot axis, said anvil comprising:
an anvil body defining a fastener forming surface thereon comprising a plurality of fastener forming formations, wherein each said fastener forming formation corresponds to one of said surgical fasteners in said surgical fastener cartridge, said fastener forming surface facing said tissue contacting surface on said surgical fastener cartridge; and
at least one tissue stop protruding from said anvil body and extending downward beyond said fastener forming surface and configured to prevent tissue received between said tissue contacting surface and said fastener forming surface from extending proximally beyond a distal end portion of said at least one tissue stop when said anvil is in said fully closed position wherein when said anvil is in said fully closed position, said distal end portion of each said tissue stop is spaced from said fixed jaw pivot axis an axial distance that is less than 0.750 inches and wherein a vertical distance between a distalmost one of said fasteners in said surgical cartridge and a corresponding one of said fastener forming formations on said fastener forming surface when said anvil is in said fully open position is at least 0.900 inches.
19 . The surgical system of claim 18 , wherein, when said anvil is in said fully open position, a jaw aperture angle between said fastener forming surface and said tissue contacting surface is greater than 12.25 degrees.
20 . The surgical system of claim 18 , wherein said surgical end effector is sized to pass through a trocar cannula when said anvil is in said fully closed position.