IP Library Granted Patent US 11,241,229
Granted Patent B2
US 11,241,229 · App. 16/587,452 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Staple cartridges comprising driver arrangements

Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV (Hillsboro, OH); Jerome R. Morgan (Cincinnati, OH)
Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
A61B17/07207A61B2017/07228A61B2017/07235A61B2017/07271A61B2017/07278
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,241,229
App. No.
16/587,452
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Staple cartridge assemblies are disclosed herein which are an improvement over previous staple cartridge assemblies. Certain embodiments utilize tri-staple drivers which simultaneously eject three staples from a staple cartridge.

Claims (72)

1. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a deck;

a longitudinal slot defined in said cartridge body; and

staple cavities defined in said deck, wherein said staple cavities comprise:

an inner row of staple cavities extending alongside said longitudinal slot;

an intermediate row of staple cavities extending alongside said inner row; and

an outer row of staple cavities extending alongside said intermediate row;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities;

a proximal staple driver configured to eject only two of said staples from said staple cavities;

intermediate staple drivers configured to each eject three of said staples from said staple cavities, wherein said three staples comprise:

an inner staple from said inner row;

an intermediate staple from said intermediate row; and

an outer staple from said outer row, wherein said intermediate staple drivers are positioned distally with respect to said proximal staple driver; and

a pair of distal staple drivers, wherein each said distal driver is configured to eject only one of said staples from said staple cavities, wherein said distal staple drivers are positioned distally to said intermediate staple drivers.

2. The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said staples comprise the same unformed height.

3. The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said staples comprise different formed heights.

4. The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said intermediate staple drivers are arranged in a repeating pattern in between said proximal staple driver and said distal staple drivers.

5. The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said outer staple is positioned distally with respect to said intermediate staple, and wherein said intermediate staple is positioned distally with respect to said inner staple.

6. The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said inner staple is positioned proximally with respect to said intermediate staple, and wherein said intermediate staple is positioned proximally with respect to said outer staple.

7. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a deck;

a longitudinal slot defined in said deck, wherein said longitudinal slot extends from said proximal end toward said distal end;

staple cavities defined in said deck, wherein said staple cavities comprise:

an inner row of staple cavities extending alongside said longitudinal slot;

an intermediate row of staple cavities extending alongside said inner row; and

an outer row of staple cavities extending alongside said intermediate row;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities;

a proximal staple driver configured to eject only two of said staples from said staple cavities;

intermediate staple drivers configured to each eject three of said staples from said staple cavities, wherein each said intermediate staple driver is configured to eject an inner staple from said inner row, an intermediate staple from said intermediate row, and an outer staple from said outer row, and wherein said intermediate staple drivers are positioned distally with respect to said proximal staple driver; and

two distal staple drivers, wherein said distal staple drivers are each configured to eject a single staple from said staple cavities, wherein said distal staple drivers are positioned distally with respect to said intermediate staple drivers.

8. The staple cartridge of claim 7 , wherein said staples comprise the same unformed height.

9. The staple cartridge of claim 7 , wherein said staples comprise different formed heights.

10. The staple cartridge of claim 7 , wherein said intermediate staple drivers are arranged in a repeating pattern in between said proximal staple driver and said distal staple drivers.

11. The staple cartridge of claim 7 , wherein said outer staple is positioned distally with respect to said intermediate staple, and wherein said intermediate staple is positioned distally with respect to said inner staple.

12. The staple cartridge of claim 7 , wherein said inner staple is positioned proximally with respect to said intermediate staple, and wherein said intermediate staple is positioned proximally with respect to said outer staple.

13. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a deck;

a longitudinal slot defined in said deck, wherein said longitudinal slot extends from said proximal end toward said distal end;

staple cavities defined in said deck, wherein said staple cavities comprise:

an inner row of staple cavities extending alongside said longitudinal slot;

an intermediate row of staple cavities extending alongside said inner staple cavity row; and

an outer row of staple cavities extending alongside said intermediate staple cavity row;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities, wherein said staples comprise an unformed height;

a proximal double staple driver configured to eject two staples from said staple cavities;

intermediate tri-staple drivers, wherein each said intermediate tri-staple driver is configured to eject an inner staple from said inner row, an intermediate staple from said intermediate row, and an outer staple from said outer row, and wherein said intermediate tri-staple drivers are positioned distally with respect to at least a portion of said proximal double staple driver; and

distal single staple drivers configured to each eject a staple from said staple cavities, wherein said distal single staple drivers move independently of said intermediate tri-staple drivers, and wherein said distal single staple drivers are positioned distally with respect to at least a portion of said intermediate tri-staple drivers.

14. The staple cartridge of claim 13 , wherein said staples comprise the same unformed height.

15. The staple cartridge of claim 13 , wherein said staples comprise different formed heights.

16. The staple cartridge of claim 13 , wherein said intermediate tri-staple drivers are arranged in a repeating pattern in between said proximal double staple driver and said distal single staple drivers.

17. The staple cartridge of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of said outer staple is positioned distally with respect to said intermediate staple, and wherein at least a portion of said intermediate staple is positioned distally with respect to said inner staple.

18. The staple cartridge of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of said inner staple is positioned proximally with respect to said intermediate staple, and wherein at least a portion of said intermediate staple is positioned proximally with respect to said outer staple.

19. A staple cartridge, comprising:

a cartridge body, comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end;

a deck;

a longitudinal slot defined in said deck, wherein said longitudinal slot extends from said proximal end toward said distal end;

staple cavities defined in said deck, wherein said staple cavities are arranged in longitudinal rows alongside said longitudinal slot, wherein said longitudinal rows of staple cavities comprise:

an inner row extending alongside said longitudinal slot;

an intermediate row extending alongside said inner row; and

an outer row extending alongside said intermediate row;

staples removably stored in said staple cavities;

a double staple driver configured to eject two staples from said staple cavities;

a triple staple driver configured to eject a first staple from said inner row of staple cavities, a second staple from said intermediate row of staple cavities, and a third staple from said outer row of staple cavities, wherein said triple staple driver is positioned distally with respect to at least a portion of said double staple driver; and

a single staple driver configured to eject one staple from said staple cavities, wherein said single staple driver moves independently of said triple staple driver, and wherein said single staple driver is positioned distally with respect to at least a portion of said triple staple driver.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2021
From: ETHICON LLC
To: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 056601/0339 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2020
From: SHELTON, FREDERICK E., IV; MORGAN, JEROME R.
To: ETHICON LLC
Reel/Frame 053351/0232 →