Surgical staple cartridge with enhanced knife clearance

US9498215B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC. · US

Inventors

• Grant Duque · San Jose, US
• Tom McNamara · Orland Park, US
• Jeffrey Smith · Petaluma, US
• Bennie Thompson · Blue Ash, US
• Ashley Wellman · East Palo Alto, US
• Don Wilson · Barrington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 31, 2013
• Grant date: Nov 22, 2016
• Expiry date: Apr 6, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2017/07285
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A surgical instrument having an elongated shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end. An end effector is coupled to the shaft distal end and includes opposed jaws. A housing is included in one of the jaws, the housing having a housing proximal end, a housing distal end, an upper surface, a distal garage having lateral surfaces that extend above the upper surface, and a plurality of staple openings extending through the upper surface. A knife member is supported within the housing for movement distally. The knife member is moveable into a predetermined parked position such that a first portion of the cutting blade displaces below the upper surface and a second portion remains displaced above the upper surface. There is enough lateral clearance in the predetermined parked position between the lateral faces and the second portion to accommodate a dislodged staple.