Surgical stapling end effector component with deformable tip having thick distal end

1. An instrument, comprising:

(a) a body;

(b) a shaft extending from the body and defining a longitudinal axis; and

(c) an end effector in communication with the shaft, wherein the end effector is operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue, wherein the end effector comprises:

(i) first and second opposing jaws, wherein at least one of the first and second jaws is movable relative to the other of the first and second jaws between an open position and a closed position,

(ii) a staple cartridge configured to hold one or more staples, wherein the staple cartridge is associated with the second jaw, and

(iii) a placement tip located at a distal end of the first jaw or a distal end of the second jaw, wherein the placement tip includes proximal and distal portions, wherein the distal portion includes a distal most tip having a distal cross-sectional thickness taken parallel to a transverse plane that is greater than a proximal cross-sectional thickness of the proximal portion along taken parallel to the transverse plane.

2. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the placement tip has a generally uniform width along the entire length of the placement tip taken along the longitudinal axis.

3. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein an underside surface of the placement tip is configured to extend at a non-parallel angle relative to an angled surface of the second jaw when the jaws are in the closed position.

4. The instrument of claim 3 , wherein the underside surface includes at least two planar surfaces.

5. The instrument of claim 4 , wherein a portion of the underside surface is configured to contact the opposing jaw when the jaws are in the closed position.

6. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the jaw disposed opposite the placement tip extends distally beyond the distal most tip of the placement tip.

7. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the proximal cross-sectional thickness of the placement tip is uniform.

8. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the proximal cross-sectional thickness is taken at a location where the placement tip attaches to an anvil.

9. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the placement tip further comprises a central portion disposed longitudinally between the proximal and distal portions, wherein the central portion has a central cross-sectional thickness taken parallel to the transverse plane that is less than the proximal cross-sectional thickness and less than the distal cross-sectional thickness.

10. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the placement tip further comprises a central portion disposed longitudinally between the proximal and distal portions, wherein the central portion has a central cross-sectional thickness taken parallel to the transverse plane that is greater than the proximal cross-sectional thickness and greater than the distal cross-sectional thickness.

11. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the placement tip further comprises a central portion disposed longitudinally between the proximal and distal portions, wherein the central portion has a central cross-sectional thickness taken parallel to the transverse plane that is greater than the proximal cross-sectional thickness but less than the distal cross-sectional thickness.

12. The instrument of claim 11 , wherein the thickness of the placement tip continually increases moving distally along the entire length of the placement tip.

13. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the distal portion terminates at a flat distal face that extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and parallel to the transverse plane.

14. The instrument of claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion of the placement tip has a proximal tip width that is less than a proximal jaw width of the jaw disposed opposite the placement tip, and wherein the distal portion of the placement tip has a distal tip width that is greater than a distal jaw width of the jaw disposed opposite the placement tip.

15. An instrument, comprising:

(a) a body;

(b) a shaft extending from the body and defining a longitudinal axis; and

(c) an end effector in communication with the shaft, wherein the end effector is operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue, wherein the end effector comprises:

(i) first and second opposing jaws, wherein at least one of the first and second jaws is movable relative to the other of the first and second jaws between an open position and a closed position,

(ii) a staple cartridge configured to hold one or more staples, wherein the staple cartridge is associated with the second jaw, and

(iii) a placement tip located at a distal end of the first jaw or a distal end of the second jaw, wherein the placement tip comprises:

(A) a proximal portion having a proximal tip width that is less than a proximal jaw width of the jaw disposed opposite the placement tip, and

(B) a distal portion that includes a distal most tip, wherein the distal most tip has a distal tip width that is greater than a distal jaw width of the jaw disposed opposite the distal most tip of the placement tip, wherein the jaw disposed opposite the placement tip extends distally beyond the distal most tip.

16. The instrument of claim 15 , wherein the placement tip has a generally uniform width along the entire length of the placement tip such that the proximal tip width and distal tip width are generally equal.

17. A placement tip for a surgical instrument, wherein the surgical instrument includes an end effector including first and second oppositely disposed jaws, the placement tip comprising:

(a) a proximal portion having a proximal tip width that is less than a proximal jaw width of the jaw disposed opposite the placement tip;

(b) a distal portion having a distal tip width that is greater than a distal jaw width of the jaw disposed opposite the placement tip, wherein the distal portion includes a distal most tip, wherein the distal most tip has a distal cross-sectional thickness taken parallel to a transverse plane that is greater than a proximal cross-sectional thickness of the proximal portion taken parallel to the transverse plane.

18. The placement tip of claim 17 , wherein the jaw disposed opposite the placement tip extends distally beyond the distal most tip.

19. The placement tip of claim 17 , wherein the distal most tip includes a planar distal surface that extends parallel to the transverse plane.

20. The placement tip of claim 17 , further comprising a central portion disposed longitudinally between the proximal and distal portions, wherein the central portion has a central cross-sectional thickness taken parallel to the transverse plane that is less than the proximal cross-sectional thickness and is less than the distal cross-sectional thickness.