초록 ▼

A surgical stapling device having a removable staple cartridge is disclosed. The cartridge includes a first opening in the staple-forming end of the housing member to allow access to the a staple and an aligned second opening to allow the lead staple to move therethrough. The staple cartridge also c

A surgical stapling device having a removable staple cartridge is disclosed. The cartridge includes a first opening in the staple-forming end of the housing member to allow access to the a staple and an aligned second opening to allow the lead staple to move therethrough. The staple cartridge also comprises a fixed blocking surface on the housing member and a traveling blocking surface on a feeder shoe. The traveling blocking surface is sized so that the feeder shoe moves relative to the fixed blocking surface while moving the staple. The feeder shoe is further shaped so that, when the trigger member is actuated when no staples remain in the staple cartridge, the staple former is not blocked by the feeder shoe.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising: a housing member having a staple-forming end; a staple movably positioned in to housing member along a substantially straight movement path; a first opening adjacent the staple-forming end of the housing member to allow access to the staple and a

I claim: 1. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising: a housing member having a staple-forming end; a staple movably positioned in to housing member along a substantially straight movement path; a first opening adjacent the staple-forming end of the housing member to allow access to the staple and a second opening adjacent the staple-forming end of to housing member sized to allow the staple to move through the second opening; and a feeder shoe positioned in the housing member for urging the staple along the substantially straight movement path towards the staple-forming end and having a surface angled relative to the staple-forming end of the housing member, wherein the feeder shoe moves between an engaged position with the staple-forming end of the housing member and a position away from the staple-forming end of the housing member when pressure is exerted upon the angled surface, and wherein the staple, the first opening, and the second opening are substantially vertically oriented at the staple-forming end of the housing member relative to each other and to the movement path of the staple. 2. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, further comprising: a fixed blocking surface for aligning the staple with the first opening in the staple-forming end of the housing member. 3. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, further comprising: a staple feeder ramp in the housing member for positioning the staple. 4. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 3, further comprising: a fixed blocking surface; and the feeder shoe comprising: a traveling blocking surface, sized to move along the staple feeder ramp while contacting the fixed blocking surface of the staple cartridge. 5. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 3, wherein the feeder shoe has a traveling blocking surface, movably positioned with the staple feeder ramp; and the surgical staple cartridge further comprising: a fixed blocking surface on the housing member, wherein the traveling blocking surface is sized so tat the feeder shoe moves along the staple feeder ramp toward the staple-forming end of the housing member while blocking the staple. 6. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein said first opening is sized to provide access to the staple while blocking the staple from moving through said first opening. 7. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 6, wherein said first opening comprises a plurality of openings aligned vertically with the staple and having a blocking member interposed with the plurality of openings. 8. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the feeder shoe urges the staple toward the staple-forming end of the housing member. 9. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 8, the feeder shoe comprising: a traveling blocking surface, sized to block the staple while moving toward the first opening. 10. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 8, the feeder shoe comprising: a traveling blocking surface, adapted to slide along a fixed blocking surface of the housing member to align the staple with the first opening. 11. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, further comprising: a fixed blocking surface, adapted to align the staple with the first opening; and the feeder shoe comprising; a traveling blocking surface, sized to block the staple while moving toward the first opening. 12. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 11, wherein the traveling blocking surface slides along the fixed blocking surface. 13. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a cap member, affixed to the housing member after positioning of the staple in the housing member. 14. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 13, further comprising: a pusher rod, centrally attached to the cap member. 15. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising: a housing member having a staple-forming end; a staple movably positioned in the housing member along a substantially straight movement path; a first opening adjacent the staple-forming end of the housing member to allow access to the staple and a second opening adjacent the staple-forming end of the housing member sized to allow the staple to move through the second opening; a feeder shoe positioned in the housing member and having a surface angled relative to the staple-forming end of the housing member; and a flexible arm extending from the housing member and moving between a memory position and a flexed position outwardly from the memory position, whereby a greater clearance is provided between the flexible arm and the housing member when the flexible arm is in the flexed position, wherein the feeder shoe moves between an engaged position with the staple-forming end of the housing member and a position away from the staple-forming end of the housing member when pressure is exerted upon the angled surface, and wherein the staple, the first opening, and the second opening are substantially vertically oriented at the staple-forming end of the housing member relative to each other and to the movement path of the staple. 16. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 15, wherein the flexible arm is proximal to the staple-forming end of the housing member. 17. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 21, wherein the housing member flexible arm is biased inward toward a memory position against a side of the housing member. 18. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising: a housing member having a staple-forming end comprising; a snap receptacle; a staple movably positioned in the housing member along a substantially straight movement path; a first opening adjacent the staple-forming end of the housing member to allow access to the staple and a second opening adjacent the staple-forming end of the housing member sized to allow the staple to move through the second opening; a feeder shoe positioned in the housing member and having a surface angled relative to the staple-forming end of the housing member; and a cap member, affixed to the housing member after positioning of the staple in the housing member, comprising: a cap member flexible arm extending from the cap member; and a snap, positioned on the cap member flexible arm, the snap removably fixable with the snap receptacle, wherein the feeder shoe moves between an engaged position with the staple-forming end of the housing member and a position away from the staple-farming end of the housing member when pressure is exerted noon the angled surface, and wherein the staple, the first opening, and to second opening are substantially vertically oriented at the staple-forming end of the housing member relative to each other and to the movement path of the staple. 19. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 18, the cap member flexible arm moving between a memory position and a flexed position outwardly from the memory position. 20. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 18, the snap permanently bonded to the snap receptacle, permanently affixing the cap member to the housing member. 21. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising: a housing member having a staple-forming end comprising; a housing member flexible arm; and a snap positioned on to housing member flexible arm; a staple movably positioned in the housing member alone a substantially straight movement path; a first opening adjacent the staple-forming end of the housing member to allow access to the staple and a second opening adjacent the staple-forming end of the housing member sized to allow to staple to move through to second opening; and a feeder shoe positioned in the housing member and having a surface angled relative to the staple-forming end of the housing member, wherein the feeder shoe moves between an engaged position with the staple-forming end of the housing member and a position away from the staple-forming end of the housing member when pressure is exerted upon the angled surface, and wherein the staple, to first opening and the second opening are substantially vertically oriented at the staple-forming end of tire housing member relative to each other and to the movement path of the staple. 22. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 21, the housing member flexible arm moving between a memory position and a flexed position outwardly from the memory position. 23. A disposable surgical staple cartridge comprising: a housing member having a fixed staple-forming end; a feeder shoe positioned in the housing member and having a surface angled relative to the staple-forming end of the housing member; a staple urged by the feeder shoe towards the staple-forming end along a substantially straight movement path, the staple substantially vertically oriented to the movement path of the staple; and an opening adjacent the fixed staple-forming end sized to allow the staple to move through the opening, substantially parallel with the staple, wherein the feeder shoe moves between an engaged position with the staple-forming end of the housing member and a position away from the staple-forming end of the housing member when pressure is exerted upon the angled surface. 24. The disposable surgical staple cartridge of claim 23, wherein the staple is blocked by the fixed staple-forming end when positioned for moving through the opening. 25. The disposable surgical staple cartridge of claim 23, wherein the feeder shoe has, a traveling blocking surface, movably positioned with the housing member for urging the staple toward the staple-forming end of the housing member, and wherein the traveling blocking surface is substantially parallel to the staple. 26. A disposable surgical staple cartridge comprising: a housing member having a staple-forming end; a feeder shoe positioned in the housing member and having a surface angled relative to the staple-forming end of the housing member; a staple of a channel configuration; urged by the feeder shoe towards the staple-forming end along a substantially straight movement path, comprising: a substantially straight crown portion; a pair of prongs extending orthogonally from the crown portion each prong having a substantially sharpened point on an end opposite the crown portion; and an opening in the staple-forming end sized to allow the staple to move through the opening, wherein the feeder shoe moves between an engaged position with the staple-forming end of the housing member and a position away from the staple-forming end of the housing member when pressure is exerted upon the angled surface. 27. The disposable surgical staple cartridge of claim 26, wherein the pair of prongs are oriented substantially vertically to a movement path of the staple through the housing member. 28. The disposable surgical staple cartridge of claim 26, further comprising: a cap member, permanently attached to the housing member opposite the staple-forming end after the staple is loaded into the housing member. 29. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising: a housing member having a staple-forming end; and a feeder shoe positioned in the housing member for urging the staple alone the substantially straight movement path towards the staple-forming end and having a surface angled relative to the staple-forming end of the housing member, wherein the feeder shoe moves between an engaged position with the staple-forming end of the housing member and a position away from the staple-forming end of the housing member when pressure is exerted upon the angled surface. 30. A surgical staple cartridge, comprising: a housing member having a staple-forming end; and a flexible arm extending from the housing member and moving between a memory position and a flexed position outwardly from the memory position, wherein a greater clearance is provided between the flexible arm and the housing member when the flexible arm is in the flexed position. 31. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 30, wherein the flexible arm is proximal to the staple-forming end of the housing member. 32. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 30, wherein the housing member flexible arm is biased inward toward a memory position against a side of the housing member.