US 12,082,810 B2
Surgical stapler end effector sled having staple driver support feature
Anil K. Nalagatla, Mason, OH (US); Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Hillsboro, OH (US); and Nicholas Fanelli, Morrow, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Aug. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/895,198.
Application 17/895,198 is a continuation of application No. 17/088,953, filed on Nov. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,701,112, issued on Jul. 18, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2023/0060075 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 17/068 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/072 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0686 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07257 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07278 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A stapling assembly for a surgical stapler, the stapling assembly comprising:
(a) a body extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the body includes:
(i) an upper deck, and
(ii) an opening in the upper deck;
(b) a staple driver movably positioned below the upper deck;
(c) a staple driver actuator configured to:
(i) translate along the longitudinal axis,
(ii) lift the staple driver to a first height during translation of the staple driver actuator along the longitudinal axis,
(iii) maintain the staple driver at the first height during translation of the staple driver actuator along the longitudinal axis, and
(iv) after maintaining the staple driver at the first height, lift the staple driver from the first height to a second height during translation of the staple driver actuator along the longitudinal axis; and
(d) a staple configured to be driven through the opening in the upper deck by the staple driver, wherein the staple is configured to be below the upper deck when the staple driver is at the first height,
wherein the staple driver actuator includes a base and at least one outer rail extending upwardly from the base and defining an outer lateral side of the staple driver actuator,
wherein the at least one outer rail extends distally from a proximal end to a distal end that terminates proximal of a distal end of the staple driver actuator,
wherein the at least one outer rail includes a pair of outer rails, wherein the outer rails are laterally-opposed from one another and define a maximum lateral width of the staple driver actuator such that no portion of the staple driver actuator extends laterally outward beyond the outer rails.