Fastener cartridges including extensions having different configurations
A fastener cartridge can include, one, a cartridge body comprising a deck and a plurality of fastener cavities and, two, a plurality of fasteners positioned in the fastener cavities. The cartridge body can further comprise extensions extending from the deck having different sizes and/or configurations. The extensions can control the flow of tissue relative to the deck and/or support the fasteners as they are ejected from the fastener cavities.
1. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body, comprising:
a deck comprising an inner deck portion, an intermediate deck portion, and an outer deck portion on a first side of the cartridge body, wherein said intermediate deck portion is laterally outboard of said inner deck portion, and wherein said outer deck portion is laterally outboard of said intermediate deck portion;
a plurality of staple cavities comprising an inner staple cavity defined in said inner deck portion, an intermediate staple cavity defined in said intermediate deck portion, and an outer staple cavity defined in said outer deck portion, and wherein each staple cavity of said plurality of staple cavities comprises an opening in said deck defining a cavity perimeter and a pair of endwalls;
a pair of projections extending from said deck, wherein each projection of said pair of projections abuts said cavity perimeter of only said intermediate staple cavity, and wherein each projection of said pair of projections comprises:
a cuff portion comprising a cuff interior surface seamlessly extending from one endwall of said pair of endwalls, a cuff exterior surface opposite said cuff interior surface, and a lateral cuff width defined by said cuff exterior surface;
a first transition portion sloping downwardly from a first end of said cuff portion to said intermediate deck portion, wherein said first transition portion comprises a first transition exterior surface; and
a second transition portion sloping downwardly from a second end of said cuff portion to said intermediate deck portion, wherein said second transition portion comprises a second transition exterior surface, wherein a lateral transition width is defined between said first transition exterior surface and said second transition exterior surface, and wherein said lateral transition width is wider than said lateral cuff width;
a staple positioned in said intermediate staple cavity, wherein said staple comprises a base and legs extending from said base, and wherein each leg is partially surrounded by one projection of said pair of projections;
a staple driver; and
a sled movable from an unfired position to a fired position during a staple firing stroke, wherein said sled engages said staple driver during said staple firing stroke to lift said staple within said intermediate staple cavity, and wherein said cuff interior surface of each projection of said pair of projections is configured to guide one of said legs.
2. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said cuff portion comprises a top cuff edge having a constant height relative to said deck.
3. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said pair of projections comprises a first projection and a second projection, wherein said intermediate staple cavity comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall, wherein said first transition portion of said first projection comprises a first transition interior surface seamlessly extending from said first sidewall, and wherein said second transition portion of said first projection comprises a second transition interior surface seamlessly extending from said second sidewall.
4. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of staple cavities comprises:
a row of first staple cavities defined in said inner deck portion, wherein said first staple cavities comprise said inner staple cavity;
a row of second staple cavities defined in said intermediate deck portion, wherein said second staple cavities comprise said intermediate staple cavity; and
a row of third staple cavities defined in said outer deck portion, wherein said third staple cavities comprise said outer staple cavity.
5. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body, comprising:
a proximal end;
a distal end;
a deck extending between said proximal end and said distal end, wherein said deck comprises an inner deck portion, an intermediate deck portion, and an outer deck portion on a first side of said cartridge body;
a plurality of staple cavities comprising an inner staple cavity defined in said inner deck portion, an intermediate staple cavity defined in said intermediate deck portion, and an outer staple cavity defined in said outer deck portion, wherein each staple cavity of said plurality of staples cavities comprises:
an opening in said deck defining a cavity perimeter:
a proximal staple cavity portion comprising a proximal staple cavity wall; and
a distal staple cavity portion comprising a distal staple cavity wall;
a first projection extending from said deck, wherein said first projection abuts said cavity perimeter of said intermediate staple cavity and at least partially surrounds said proximal staple cavity portion of said intermediate staple cavity, and wherein said first projection comprises:
a first support portion comprising a first support surface seamlessly extending from said proximal staple cavity wall of said intermediate staple cavity; and
a first sloped portion extending downwardly along said intermediate staple cavity from said first support portion to said intermediate deck portion, wherein said first sloped portion comprises a width greater than a width of said first support portion; and
a second projection extending from said deck, wherein said second projection abuts said cavity perimeter of said intermediate staple cavity and at least partially surrounds said distal staple cavity portion of said intermediate staple cavity, and wherein said second projection comprises:
a second support portion comprising a second support surface seamlessly extending from said distal staple cavity wall of said intermediate staple cavity; and
a second sloped portion extending downwardly along said intermediate staple cavity from said second support portion to said intermediate deck portion, wherein said second sloped portion comprises a width greater than a width of said second support portion, and wherein each of said first projection and said second projection is a discrete projection extending from only said intermediate deck portion;
a staple movably positioned in said intermediate staple cavity, wherein said staple comprises a base, a first deformable member extending from said base, and a second deformable member extending from said base;
a staple driver movably positioned at least partially within said staple cavity; and
a sled movable from an unfired position to a fired position during a staple firing stroke, wherein said sled engages said staple driver during said staple firing stroke to lift said staple toward said deck, wherein said proximal staple cavity wall of said intermediate staple cavity and said first support surface support said first deformable member during said firing stroke, and wherein said distal staple cavity wall of said intermediate staple cavity and said second support surface support said second deformable member during said firing stroke.
6. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein said first support portion comprises a top edge having a constant height relative to said deck.
7. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein said second support portion comprises a top edge having a constant height relative to said deck.
8. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein said first sloped portion comprises a first lateral support surface seamlessly extending from said proximal staple cavity wall of said intermediate staple cavity.
9. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein said second sloped portion comprises a second lateral support surface seamlessly extending from said distal staple cavity wall of said intermediate staple cavity.
10. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein said plurality of staple cavities comprises:
a row of first staple cavities defined in said inner deck portion, wherein said first staple cavities comprise said inner staple cavity;
a row of second staple cavities defined in said intermediate deck portion, wherein said second staple cavities comprise said intermediate staple cavity; and
a row of third staple cavities defined in said outer deck portion, wherein said third staple cavities comprise said outer staple cavity.
11. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body, comprising:
a deck;
a plurality of staple cavities defined in the deck, wherein each of the staple cavities comprises an opening in the deck defining a cavity perimeter, wherein each of the staple cavities comprises a pair of endwalls and a pair of sidewalls extending between the endwalls, and wherein the sidewalls taper laterally outward from each of the endwalls; and
a pair of projections extending from the deck, wherein each projection of the pair of projections abuts the cavity perimeter of only a single staple cavity of the plurality of staple cavities, wherein each projection of the pair of projections comprises an internal surface extending from one of the endwalls and at least a portion of each of the sidewalls of the single staple cavity to define a tapered slot, and wherein each projection of the pair of projection extends a maximum distance from the deck proximate to one of the endwalls of the single staple cavity and slopes from the maximum distance to the deck along a portion of each of the sidewalls of the single staple cavity; and
a plurality of staples removably stored in said staple cavities, wherein each of the staples comprises a base and legs extending from the base.
12. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 11 , further comprising:
a plurality of staple drivers; and
a sled movable from an unfired position to a fired position during a staple firing stroke, wherein the sled engages the staple drivers during the staple firing stroke to lift the staples within the staple cavities, and wherein the internal surface of each of the pair of projections is configured to guide the legs of one of the plurality of staples during the firing stroke.
13. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 11 , wherein the deck comprises an inner deck portion, an intermediate deck portion, and an outer deck portion on a first side of the cartridge body, wherein the plurality of staple cavities comprises a row of inner staple cavities defined in the inner deck portion, a row of intermediate staple cavities defined in the intermediate deck portion, and a row of outer staple cavities defined in the outer deck portion, and wherein the single staple cavity abutted by the pair of projections is one of the intermediate staple cavities.