Surgical stapling instrument comprising a staple cartridge

1. A staple cartridge assembly for seating in a channel of a surgical stapling end effector, wherein said staple cartridge assembly comprises:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a base;

a deck;

a longitudinal slot extending between said proximal end and said distal end;

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities extend through said deck and said base;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities; and

staple drivers configured to support said staples;

a firing member movable toward said distal end during a staple firing stroke, wherein said firing member is configured to lift said staple drivers toward said deck during said staple firing stroke; and

a pan attached to said cartridge body configured to prevent said staples from falling out of said base of said cartridge body, wherein said pan comprises:

a first lateral pan side attached to said cartridge body;

a second lateral pan side attached to said cartridge body;

a first pan bottom portion extending under a portion of said base from said first lateral pan side; and

a second pan bottom portion extending under a portion of said base from said second lateral pan side;

a pan slot aligned with said longitudinal slot of said cartridge body, wherein said pan slot comprises:

an open proximal pan slot end comprising a first width;

a closed distal pan slot end opposite said open proximal pan slot end; and

a longitudinal portion extending between said open proximal pan slot end and said closed distal pan slot end comprising a second width, wherein said first width is different than said second width.

2. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pan slot is configured to receive a portion of said firing member.

3. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 1 , wherein said firing member comprises a wedge sled.

4. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pan slot extends from said proximal pan end toward said distal pan end.

5. A staple cartridge assembly for seating in a channel of a surgical stapling end effector, wherein said staple cartridge assembly comprises:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a base;

a longitudinal slot extending between said proximal end and said distal end;

staple cavities defined therein, wherein said staple cavities are through holes;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities; and

staple drivers configured to support said staples thereon, wherein said staple drivers are movable from an unfired position toward a fired position during a staple firing stroke;

a firing member movable toward said distal end during said staple firing stroke, wherein said firing member is configured to move said staple drivers from said unfired position toward said fired position during said staple firing stroke; and

a tray detachably positioned against said base of said cartridge body, wherein said tray is configured to prevent said staples from falling out of said base of said cartridge body, wherein said tray comprises:

a tray bottom portion extending under said staple cavities;

a tray proximal end;

a tray distal end; and

a tray slot aligned with said longitudinal slot of said cartridge body when said tray is attached to said cartridge body, wherein said tray slot comprises:

an open proximal end comprising a first width at said tray proximal end; and

a distal portion comprising a second width, wherein said first width is different than said second width.

6. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 5 , wherein said first width is greater than said second width.

7. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 5 , wherein said tray slot is configured to receive a portion of said firing member.

8. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 5 , wherein said firing member comprises a sled.

9. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

an end effector, comprising:

an anvil; and

a staple cartridge jaw comprising a channel;

a staple cartridge assembly replaceably seated in said channel, wherein said staple cartridge assembly comprises:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a base;

a deck;

a longitudinal slot extending between said proximal end and said distal end;

staple cavities defined in said deck and said base;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities; and

staple drivers configured to support said staples; and

a pan attachable to said cartridge body, wherein said pan is configured to prevent said staples from falling out of said base of said cartridge body, and wherein said pan comprises:

a pan bottom portion extending under said staple cavities defined in said base;

a proximal pan end;

a distal pan end; and

a pan slot aligned with said longitudinal slot of said cartridge body when said pan is attached to said cartridge body, wherein said pan slot comprises:

an open pan slot proximal end comprising a first width; and

a pan slot distal portion comprising a second width, wherein said first width is different than said second width; and

a firing member movable toward said distal end of said cartridge body during a staple firing stroke, wherein said firing member is configured to lift said staple drivers toward said anvil during said staple firing stroke.

10. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 9 , wherein said first width is greater than said second width.

11. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 9 , wherein said pan slot is configured to receive a portion of said firing member.

12. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 9 , wherein said firing member comprises a sled.

13. A staple cartridge for use with a surgical instrument, wherein said staple cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a bottom;

a deck;

a longitudinal slot extending from said proximal end toward said distal end; and

staple cavities defined in said deck, wherein said staple cavities comprise through holes extending through said cartridge body;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities;

staple drivers;

a firing member movable toward said distal end during a staple firing stroke, wherein said firing member is configured to lift said staple drivers toward said deck during said staple firing stroke; and

a pan attached to said cartridge body, wherein said pan is configured to prevent said staple drivers from falling out of said bottom of said cartridge body, wherein said pan comprises a pan slot aligned with said longitudinal slot of said cartridge body, wherein said pan slot extends from a pan proximal end toward a pan distal end, and wherein said pan slot comprises:

an open proximal portion comprising a first width at said pan proximal end; and

a distal portion comprising a second width, wherein said first width is different than said second width.

14. The staple cartridge of claim 13 , wherein said first width is greater than said second width.

15. The staple cartridge of claim 13 , wherein said firing member comprises a sled.

16. A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument, wherein the surgical stapling instrument comprises an anvil, a channel, and an instrument firing member, wherein said staple cartridge assembly is configured to be seated in the channel, and wherein said staple cartridge assembly comprises:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a proximal cartridge body end;

a distal cartridge body end;

a deck configured to support patient tissue;

a base opposite said deck;

a longitudinal slot extending from said proximal cartridge body end toward said distal cartridge body end;

staple cavities defined in said cartridge body, wherein said staple cavities extend through said deck and said base;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities; and

staple drivers configured to drive said staples during a staple firing stroke;

a cartridge firing member comprising ramps movable toward said distal cartridge body end during said staple firing stroke, wherein said ramps are configured to drive said staple drivers toward said deck during said staple firing stroke; and

a pan attached to said cartridge body configured to prevent said staple drivers from falling out of said base of said cartridge body, wherein said pan comprises:

a proximal pan end;

a distal pan end;

a first pan bottom portion extending under a portion of said base from a first lateral side;

a second pan bottom portion extending under a portion of said base from a second lateral side; and

a pan slot aligned with said longitudinal slot of said cartridge body, wherein said pan slot comprises:

an open proximal pan slot end at said proximal pan end;

a closed distal pan slot end opposite said open proximal pan slot end; and

a longitudinal portion extending between said open proximal pan slot end and said closed distal pan slot end, wherein said open proximal pan slot end is configured to permit the instrument firing member to enter into said pan slot and traverse said longitudinal portion of said pan slot during said staple firing stroke, and wherein said open proximal pan slot end is flared relative to said longitudinal portion of said pan slot.