US 12,262,891 B2
Staple cartridge and drive member for surgical instrument
William Burbank, Sandy Hook, CT (US)
Assigned to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/190,022.
Application 18/190,022 is a continuation of application No. 17/147,435, filed on Jan. 12, 2021, granted, now 11,642,129.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/961,504, filed on Jan. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0225731 A1, Jul. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 17/10 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/07207 (2013.01) [A61B 17/10 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00367 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07264 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical instrument comprising;
an end effector having first and second jaws, wherein the first jaw includes a channel for receiving a staple cartridge with one or more staples, the channel having a dimension in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the end effector; and
a drive member comprising a main body with a projection extending laterally outward from the main body, the drive member being configured to drive the staples in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis as the drive member is translated longitudinally through the end effector, wherein the projection has a dimension in said direction substantially less than the dimension of the channel and a substantially planar upper surface extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the end effector.