US 12,082,811 B2
Surgical stapler anvil jaw with variable firing member slot
Nicholas Fanelli, Morrow, OH (US); Geoffrey C. Hueil, Mason, OH (US); and Gary S. Jaworek, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/702,877.
Prior Publication US 2023/0301653 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 17/068 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/07207 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0686 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07257 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
(a) a jaw body, wherein a proximal end of the jaw body is configured to couple with an end effector portion of a surgical stapler such that the jaw body is configured to cooperate with an opposing jaw of the surgical stapler to compress, staple, and cut tissue;
(b) an anvil surface defined by the jaw body and having a plurality of staple forming pockets configured to form a plurality of staples ejected by a stapling assembly of the surgical stapler; and
(c) an elongate slot extending through the anvil surface and along a longitudinal axis of the jaw body from a proximal slot end at a proximal end of the plurality of staple forming pockets to a distal slot end at a distal end of the plurality of staple forming pockets,
wherein the elongate slot comprises a first slot portion configured to slidably receive a first portion of a firing member of the surgical stapler, and a second slot portion that opens to the anvil surface and is configured to slidably receive a second portion of the firing member,
wherein the first slot portion is wider than the second slot portion in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, and
wherein a dimension of the second slot portion varies continuously along the longitudinal axis between the proximal slot end and the distal slot end such that the second slot portion is configured to promote movement of the jaw body relative to the opposing jaw in response to distal advancement of the firing member through the elongate slot during a firing stroke.