US 12,201,297 B2
Surgical stapling apparatus
Lee Ann Olson, Wallingford, CT (US); Ernest Aranyi, Easton, CT (US); and Patrick Mozdzierz, Glastonbury, CT (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 5, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/205,653.
Application 18/205,653 is a continuation of application No. 16/509,546, filed on Jul. 12, 2019, granted, now 11,666,334, issued on Jun. 6, 2023.
Application 16/509,546 is a continuation of application No. 15/338,520, filed on Oct. 31, 2016, granted, now 10,368,869, issued on Aug. 6, 2019.
Application 15/338,520 is a continuation of application No. 14/597,541, filed on Jan. 15, 2015, granted, now 9,486,215, issued on Nov. 8, 2016.
Application 14/597,541 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/161,027, filed on Jan. 22, 2014, granted, now 8,939,344, issued on Jan. 27, 2015.
Application 14/161,027 is a continuation of application No. 13/787,921, filed on Mar. 7, 2013, granted, now 8,757,466, issued on Jun. 24, 2014.
Application 13/787,921 is a continuation of application No. 13/223,519, filed on Sep. 1, 2011, granted, now 8,408,440, issued on Apr. 2, 2013.
Application 13/223,519 is a continuation of application No. 12/414,931, filed on Mar. 31, 2009, granted, now 8,016,178, issued on Sep. 13, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2023/0301658 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 17/068 (2006.01); A61B 17/072 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/07292 (2013.01) [A61B 17/068 (2013.01); A61B 17/07207 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07214 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01); Y10T 29/49826 (2015.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cartridge assembly for a surgical fastening apparatus, the cartridge assembly comprising:
at least one surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly, the at least one surgical buttress secured to the cartridge assembly by at least one connecting member, the cartridge assembly configured to receive a portion of the at least one connecting member; and
a release assembly operatively associated with the cartridge assembly, wherein the release assembly is actuatable to engage and push the at least one connecting member from a constriction slot, in a direction laterally outward and transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cartridge assembly, and release the at least one buttress from the tissue contacting surface, wherein the constriction slot is an open ended slot formed in a side edge of the cartridge assembly, the release assembly defining:
a force receiving member configured to receive an input force oriented in a distal direction along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge assembly; and
a force transmitting member connected to the force receiving member, the force transmitting member being configured to exert a pushing force in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge assembly to push the at least one connecting member out of the constriction slot;
wherein the release assembly is configured to convert the input force to the pushing force.