Fastening system comprising a firing member lockout

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9775608-B2
Application number	US-201414187384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Feb 24, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A fastener cartridge assembly for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The fastener cartridge assembly can include a cartridge body, a plurality of fasteners removably stored within the cartridge body, and an implantable layer. The fastener cartridge assembly and/or the surgical instrument can include a lockout system configured to deactivate the fastener cartridge assembly and/or surgical instrument in the event that the implantable layer is prematurely removed from the fastener cartridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical instrument system, comprising:
an anvil including a distal end;
a firing member movable toward said distal end;
a firing lockout configured to prevent the movement of said firing member toward said distal end;
a biasing member configured to bias said firing member into engagement with said firing lockout; and
a fastener cartridge assembly, comprising:
a cartridge body comprising a deck and a plurality of fastener cavities;
a plurality of fasteners at least partially positioned within said fastener cavities;
a plurality of fastener drivers, wherein said fastener drivers are configured to eject said fasteners from said cartridge body;
a tissue thickness compensator positioned relative to said deck; and
a sled movable between a proximal unfired position and a distal fired position during a firing stroke of said firing member, wherein said sled is configured to lift said fastener drivers and said fasteners toward said anvil when said sled is moved between said proximal unfired position and said distal fired position, wherein said sled is configured to hold said firing member out of engagement with said firing lockout when said sled is in said proximal unfired position, wherein said sled is releasably engaged with said tissue thickness compensator when said sled is in said proximal unfired position, and wherein said tissue thickness compensator is configured to pull said sled from said proximal unfired position toward said distal fired position if said tissue thickness compensator is pulled away from said deck prior to said firing stroke.

2. The surgical instrument system of claim 1 , wherein said fasteners are movable between an unfired unlifted position and a fired lifted position by said sled, and wherein said fasteners are at least partially embedded in said tissue thickness compensator in said unfired unlifted position.

3. The surgical instrument system of claim 1 , wherein said tissue thickness compensator comprises a tether, wherein said tether is removably attached to said sled, and wherein said tether is configured to pull said sled toward said distal fired position when said tissue thickness compensator is pulled away from said deck prior to said firing stroke.

4. The surgical instrument system of claim 3 , wherein said sled comprises a hook, and wherein said tether is releasably engaged with said hook such that said tether can release from said hook when said sled is advanced toward said distal fired position by said firing member.

5. The surgical instrument system of claim 4 , wherein said hook defines a slot, wherein said slot comprises a closed distal end and an open proximal end, and wherein said tether is configured to slide out of said open proximal end when said sled is advanced toward said distal fired position by said firing member.

6. The surgical instrument system of claim 4 , wherein said cartridge body comprises a longitudinal slot configured to slidably receive at least a portion of said firing member, and wherein said hook is configured to slide within said longitudinal slot.

7. The surgical instrument system of claim 6 , wherein said hook is positioned below said deck.

8. The surgical instrument system of claim 4 , wherein said sled comprises a ramp portion configured to lift said fastener drivers and said fasteners toward said anvil, and wherein said hook is rotatably mounted to said ramp portion.

9. The surgical instrument system of claim 8 , wherein said hook extends from a hook arm including a support shoulder, wherein said firing member is supported by said support shoulder when said sled is in said proximal unfired position, and wherein said biasing member is configured to bias said firing member into engagement with said firing lockout if said tissue thickness compensator is pulled away from said deck prior to said firing stroke.

10. The surgical instrument system of claim 9 , wherein said firing member is configured to slide off of said support shoulder onto said ramp portion after said sled has been pulled toward said distal fired position by said tissue thickness compensator.

11. The surgical instrument system of claim 8 , wherein said hook is configured to contact said cartridge body and rotate relative to said ramp portion between a raised position and a lowered position when said sled is moved into said distal fired position by said firing member.

12. The surgical instrument system of claim 11 , further comprising a resilient biasing member positioned intermediate said hook and said ramp portion, wherein said resilient biasing member is configured to bias said hook into said raised position.

13. The surgical instrument system of claim 4 , wherein said hook is comprised of a flexible material, and wherein said hook is configured to contact and be deformed by said cartridge body when said sled is moved into said distal fired position by said firing member.

14. The surgical instrument system of claim 1 , wherein said tissue thickness compensator comprises an attachment portion, and wherein said attachment portion is releasably engaged with said sled such that said attachment portion can release from said sled when said sled is advanced toward said distal fired position by said firing member.

15. The surgical instrument system of claim 1 , wherein said firing member is supported by said sled when said sled is in said proximal unfired position, and wherein said firing member is unsupported by said sled when said sled is advanced toward said distal fired position by said tissue thickness compensator.

16. The surgical instrument system of claim 1 , wherein said tissue thickness compensator comprises a tether, wherein said tether is removably attached to said sled, wherein said tether is configured to pull said sled toward said distal fired position when said tissue thickness compensator is pulled away from said deck prior to said firing stroke, and wherein said tether comprises an adhesive.

17. The surgical instrument system of claim 1 , wherein said tissue thickness compensator comprises a tether, wherein said tether is removably attached to said sled, wherein said tether is configured to pull said sled toward said distal fired position when said tissue thickness compensator is pulled away from said deck prior to said firing stroke, and wherein said tether comprises a suture including a first end embedded in said tissue thickness compensator and a second end embedded in said tissue thickness compensator.

18. The surgical instrument system of claim 1 , wherein said fasteners comprise staples.

19. A fastener cartridge for use with a surgical fastening instrument, the surgical fastening instrument including an anvil, a movable firing member, and a firing lockout configured to prevent the movement of the firing member toward a distal end of said fastener cartridge, said fastener cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body comprising a deck and a plurality of fastener cavities;
a plurality of fasteners at least partially positioned within said fastener cavities;
a layer positioned relative to said deck; and
a sled movable between an unfired position and a fired position during a firing stroke of the firing member, wherein said sled is configured to lift said fasteners toward the anvil when said sled is moved between said unfired position and said fired position, wherein said sled is configured to hold the firing member out of engagement with the firing lockout when said sled is in said unfired position, wherein said sled is releasably engaged with said layer when said sled is in said

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Aronhalt Taylor W
• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Vendely Michael J
• Schellin Emily A
• Zeiner Mark S

Classifications

• A61B17/072

  for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously · CPC title

• A61B17/064

  Surgical staples, {i.e. penetrating the tissue} · CPC title

• B29C67/20 Primary

  for porous or cellular articles, e.g. of foam plastics, coarse-pored {(chemical aspects of working up macro-molecular substances to porous or cellular articles C08J9/00)} · CPC title

• B29K2995/0056

  Biocompatible, e.g. biopolymers or bioelastomers · CPC title

• A61B2017/07264

  characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material · CPC title