Surgical instrument comprising a stowed closure actuator stop

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle comprising a closure actuator movably coupled to said handle, said closure actuator movable between a fully open position, a partially closed position, and a fully closed position and said closure actuator further comprising:

a top portion comprising an arcuate profile; and

a notch defined in said top portion;

a shaft extending from said handle;

an end effector, comprising:

a first jaw; and

a second jaw rotatable relative to said first jaw;

an articulation joint, wherein said end effector is rotatable relative to said shaft about said articulation joint;

an articulation drive operable to rotate said end effector about said articulation joint when said articulation drive is in an activated operative state, wherein said articulation drive is placeable in a deactivated inoperative state, wherein said articulation drive is in said activated operative state when said closure actuator is between said fully open position and said partially closed position, including said partially closed position, and wherein said articulation drive is in said deactivated inoperative state when said closure actuator is between said partially closed position and said fully closed position;

a closure drive actuatable to perform a closure stroke to move said second jaw into a closed position, wherein said closure drive deactivates said articulation drive into said deactivated inoperative state when said closure stroke is completed;

a closure lock that is biased toward said top portion of said closure actuator, that is engageable with said notch when said closure actuator is in said partially closed position, that is deflectable from said notch upon actuation of said closure actuator, and that remains in contact with said top portion when said closure actuator is between said fully open position said partially closed position;

a staple firing drive, wherein said articulation drive is operably engaged with said staple firing drive when said articulation drive is in said activated operative state, and wherein said articulation drive is operably disengaged from said staple firing drive when said articulation drive is in said deactivated inoperative state; and

a closure drive block movably coupled to said closure actuator, wherein said closure drive block is selectively movable between a stowed position on said closure actuator and a deployed position in which said closure drive block is configured to prevent said closure actuator from moving beyond said partially closed position such that said articulation drive is operable to rotate said end effector while said second jaw is in a partially clamped position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said closure drive block is pivotably connected to said closure actuator.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said closure actuator comprises a rotatable handcrank pivotably mounted to said handle.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said staple firing drive comprises an electric motor.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said end effector further comprises a replaceable staple cartridge.

6. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a handle comprising a closure actuator movably coupled to said handle, said closure actuator movable between a fully open position, a partially closed position, and a fully closed position and said closure actuator further comprising:

a top portion comprising an arcuate profile; and

a notch defined in said top portion;

a shaft extending from said handle;

an end effector, comprising:

a first jaw;

a second jaw rotatable relative to said first jaw; and

a staple cartridge;

an articulation joint, wherein said end effector is rotatable relative to said shaft about said articulation joint;

an articulation drive operable to rotate said end effector about said articulation joint when said articulation drive is in an activated operative state, wherein said articulation drive is shiftable into a deactivated inoperative state when said closure actuator is between said partially closed position and said fully closed position, but not including said partially closed position;

a closure drive actuatable by movement of said closure actuator to perform a closure stroke to move said second jaw into a closed position, wherein said closure drive deactivates said articulation drive into said deactivated inoperative state at the end of said closure stroke;

a closure lock that is biased toward said top portion of said closure actuator, that is engageable with said notch when said closure actuator is in said partially closed position, that is deflectable from said notch upon actuation of said closure actuator, and that remains in contact with said top portion when said closure actuator is between said fully open position said partially closed position;

a staple firing drive, wherein said articulation drive is operably engaged with said staple firing drive when said articulation drive is in said activated operative state, and wherein said articulation drive is operably disengaged from said staple firing drive when said articulation drive is in said deactivated inoperative state; and

a drive block movably coupled to said closure actuator, wherein said drive block is selectively movable between a stowed position on said closure actuator and a deployed position in which said drive block is configured to prevent said closure actuator from moving beyond said partially closed position and therefore prevent said articulation drive from being shifted into said deactivated inoperative state, and wherein when said drive block is in said deployed position, said articulation drive is operable to rotate said end effector while said second jaw is in a partially clamped position.

7. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 6 , wherein said drive block is pivotably connected to said closure actuator.

8. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 6 , wherein said closure actuator comprises a rotatable handcrank pivotably mounted to said handle.

9. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 6 , wherein said staple firing drive comprises an electric motor.

10. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 6 , wherein said drive block is pivotably connected to said closure actuator.

11. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle comprising a closure actuator movably coupled to said handle, said closure actuator movable between a fully open position, a partially closed position, and a fully closed position and said closure actuator further comprising:

a top portion comprising an arcuate profile; and

a notch defined in said top portion;

a shaft extending from said handle;

an end effector, comprising:

a first jaw; and

a second jaw rotatable relative to said first jaw from an open position to a fully-clamped position;

an articulation joint, wherein said end effector is rotatable relative to said shaft about said articulation joint;

an articulation drive operable to rotate said end effector about said articulation joint when said articulation drive is in an activated operative state, wherein said articulation drive is placeable in a deactivated inoperative state, wherein said articulation drive is in said activated operative state when said closure actuator is between said fully open position and said partially closed position, including said partially closed position, and wherein said articulation drive is in said deactivated inoperative state when said closure actuator is between said partially closed position and said fully closed position;

a closure lock that is biased toward said top portion of said closure actuator, that is engageable with said notch when said closure actuator is in said partially closed position, that is deflectable from said notch upon actuation of said closure actuator, and that remains in contact with said top portion when said closure actuator is between said fully open position said partially closed position;

a closure drive actuatable to perform a closure stroke to move said second jaw into a closed position, wherein said closure drive deactivates said articulation drive into said deactivated inoperative state as said second jaw is being fully-clamped, and wherein said closure drive comprises:

a frame;

a closure member which is translated from a first position to a second position during said closure stroke, wherein said closure member comprises a distal end configured to contact said second jaw and move said second jaw toward said fully-clamped position during said closure stroke; and

a single spring intermediate said closure member and said frame, wherein said single spring comprises:

a spring length; and

a spring rate that changes along said spring length to apply a sudden increase of spring force to said closure member when said articulated drive is placed into said deactivated inoperative state, wherein said sudden increase of spring force occurs in response to said closure actuator moving beyond said partially closed position toward said fully closed position.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein said closure actuator of said closure drive comprises a rotatable handcrank pivotably mounted to said handle.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein said articulation drive comprises an electric motor.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein said end effector further comprises a replaceable staple cartridge.

15. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle comprising:

a grip; and

a closure actuator comprising a top portion having an arcuate profile comprising a notch defined therein, said closure actuator movably coupled to said handle, wherein said closure actuator is movable from a fully open position spaced away from said grip, to a partially closed position, and to a fully closed position adjacent said grip:

a shaft extending from said handle;

an end effector, comprising:

a first jaw; and

a second jaw rotatable relative to said first jaw;

an articulation joint, wherein said end effector is rotatable relative to said shaft about said articulation joint;

an articulation drive operable to rotate said end effector about said articulation joint when said articulation drive is in an activated operative state, wherein said articulation drive is placeable in a deactivated inoperative state when said closure actuator is between said partially closed position and said fully closed position, but not including said partially closed position;

a closure drive actuatable by said closure actuator to perform a closure stroke to move said second jaw into a closed position, wherein said closure drive deactivates said articulation drive into said deactivated inoperative state when said closure stroke is completed;

a closure lock that is biased toward said top portion of said closure actuator, that is engageable with said notch when said closure actuator is in said partially closed position, that is deflectable from said notch upon actuation of said closure actuator, and that remains in contact with said top portion when said closure actuator is between said fully open position said partially closed position; and

a closure drive block movably coupled to said closure actuator, wherein said closure drive block is selectively movable between a stowed position on said closure actuator and a deployed position in which said closure drive block contacts said grip to prevent said closure actuator from attaining said fully closed position to prevent said closure stroke from being fully completed such that said articulation drive is operable to rotate said end effector while said second jaw is in a partially-closed position, and without preventing said closure actuator from returning to said fully open position without further manipulation of said closure drive block.