U.S. patent number RE34,519 [Application Number 07/815,235] was granted by the patent office on 1994-01-25 for surgical stapler cartridge lockout device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ethicon, Inc.. Invention is credited to William D. Fox, Rudolph H. Nobis, Richard P. Nuchols, Mark S. Zeiner.
United States Patent |
RE34,519 |
Fox , et al. |
January 25, 1994 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Surgical stapler cartridge lockout device
Abstract
A lockout mechanism actuable upon the firing of staples in a
surgical staple cartridge such that the lockout mechanism prevents
the refiring of the spent staple cartridge when the cartridge
remains loaded within the surgical stapler. In addition, the
lockout mechanism will prevent reloading of a spent staple
cartridge within a surgical stapler after the spent staple
cartridge has been removed from the surgical stapler.
Inventors: |
Fox; William D. (New Richmond,
OH), Nobis; Rudolph H. (Cincinnati, OH), Nuchols; Richard
P. (Beavercreek, OH), Zeiner; Mark S. (Cincinnati,
OH) |
Assignee: |
Ethicon, Inc. (Cincinnati,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
23020646 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/815,235 |
Filed: |
December 31, 1991 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
267907 |
Nov 7, 1988 |
04892244 |
Jan 9, 1990 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
227/175.4; 227/8;
227/19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25C
5/1686 (20130101); A61B 17/07207 (20130101); A61B
17/068 (20130101); A61B 2017/2945 (20130101); A61B
2090/0814 (20160201); A61B 2017/07214 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
17/068 (20060101); A61B 19/00 (20060101); A61B
017/072 () |
Field of
Search: |
;227/19,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,8 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Auto Suture Disposable EEA Surgical Stapler, United States Surgical
Corporation, 1984 (Information Booklet)..
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Primary Examiner: Rada; Rinaldi I.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dressler, Goldsmith, Shore &
Milnamow, Ltd.
Claims
What is claimed is: .[.1. In a surgical stapler having firing means
for firing staples and in which a removable cartridge containing
staples may be loaded and replaced by another removable cartridge,
a lockout mechanism on said stapler actuable by said firing means
upon the firing of said staples by said stapler such that said
lockout mechanism blocks said firing means and prevents the
refiring of said stapler when loaded with said spent cartridge..].
.[.2. The stapler of claim 1, said lockout mechanism further being
spring loaded before the firing of said staples, such that upon
said firing, said spring is actuated by contact between said firing
means and said lockout mechanism to cause said lockout mechanism to
enter said firing means path after retraction of said firing means
to prevent the refiring of said firing means into said spent
cartridge..]. .[.3. In a cartridge containing surgical staples and
a path wherein a firing means from a surgical stapler can move in
order to fire said stapler, a lockout mechanism comprising a firing
barrier loaded by a first spring, said barrier preloaded on said
cartridge before the insertion of said cartridge into a surgical
stapler, said first spring actuable upon the firing of said stapler
by said firing means located on said stapler, such that said
barrier is caused by said first spring to move into said path to
prevent the refiring of said staples loaded with
said spent cartridge..]. 4. .[.The lockout mechanism of claim 3
further comprising.]. .Iadd.In a cartridge containing surgical
staples and a path wherein a firing means from a surgical stapler
can move in order to fire said stapler, a lockout mechanism
comprising a firing barrier loaded by a first spring, said barrier
preloaded on said cartridge before the insertion of said cartridge
into a surgical stapler, said first spring actuable upon the firing
of said stapler by said firing means located on said stapler, such
that said barrier is caused by said first spring to move into said
path to prevent the refiring of said staples loaded with said spent
cartridge, and .Iaddend.a reloading barrier movable between a
firing position in which said reloading barrier is loaded by a
second spring, and a blocking position, such that the firing of
said firing means activates said second spring to cause said
reloading barrier to pass from said firing position to said
blocking position, said reloading barrier in said blocking position
capable of preventing the reloading of said spent cartridge in any
stapler upon the removable of said spent cartridge from
said stapler. 5. The lockout mechanism of claim 4 further
comprising an indicator flag actuable upon the firing of said
staples to indicate said
firing. 6. In a staple cartridge insertable within a surgical
stapler and containing staples and comprising an elongated body
including one or more longitudinal slots for slidably receiving one
or more longitudinal pusher bars comprising a firing mechanism of
said surgical stapler, and a plurality of drivers engageable by
said pusher bars for ejecting the staples from the cartridge, said
staple cartridge releasably fastened to a said surgical stapler,
the improvement comprising a lockout mechanism connected to said
longitudinal slots for preventing said pusher bars from
passing more than one time through said longitudinal slots. 7. In
the staple cartridge of claim 6, the lockout mechanism comprising a
strip slidable within said cartridge comprising:
a front end emplaced within a narrow hollow located toward the
front of said cartridge, said front end comprising a folded spring
loaded strip such that said pusher bars can contact said front end
and cause said front end to slide further toward the front of said
cartridge such that said spring is actuated to open within said
hollow; and
a spring loaded barrier lock located on the rear end of said strip,
said barrier lock placed under a detent means within said cartridge
in order to avoid contact with said pusher bars, said barrier lock
loosened from said detent means upon the sliding of said front end,
such that said barrier lock moves within the path of said pusher
bars to prevent said pusher bars from passing within said cartridge
upon the retraction of said pusher bars
from said cartridge. 8. In the staple cartridge of claim 7, said
cartridge held within a narrow channel of said stapler, said
cartridge having parallel side walls fitting within said narrow
channel, the improvement further comprising a lockout spring
attached to the side walls of said cartridge, said lockout spring
comprising a resilient ear held in place by a cover moved by said
pusher bars upon the actuation of said stapler to expose said ear,
such that said ear becomes urged outside the width of said channel
upon the removal of said cartridge, to prevent reinsertion of
said spent cartridge within said channel. 9. The staple cartridge
of claim 8 wherein said cover is pivotable within said cartridge
such that the
pivoting of said cover causes the exposing of said ears. 10. In the
staple cartridge of claim 8, the improvement further comprising an
indicator flag actuable by said folded spring loaded strip to
emerge from said hollow
upon the firing of staples. 11. In the staple cartridge of claim 6,
the improvement comprising a spring loaded bar emplaced within and
held by said drivers such that when said pusher bar engages said
drivers to activate said staples and said pusher bar is retracted
from said cartridge, said spring loaded bar moves into the path of
said pusher bars
to prevent motion of said pusher bars with said cartridge. 12. In
the cartridge of claim 11, the lockout mechanism further comprising
said spring loaded bar having a resting position beyond the width
of said cartridge upon the firing of said staples, the activation
of said bar and the removal of said cartridge from said stapler,
such that said bar
prevents the reinsertion of said cartridge into said stapler.
.Iadd.13. A surgical stapler comprising: a cartridge having a
plurality of staples frame means, for carrying said cartridge,
firing means including a pusher assembly movable relative to said
frame means in an initial longitudinal firing movement of the
pusher assembly down a path to fire the staples, a lockout
mechanism for preventing a subsequent longitudinal firing movement
of the pusher assembly after the pusher assembly has been moved to
a retracted position by longitudinal movement of said pusher
assembly along said path in a direction opposite to a direction of
said firing movement, said lockout mechanism including barrier
means for preventing refiring movement of said pusher assembly,
said barrier means being movable from a first position to a second
position, and restraining means for blocking said barrier means to
maintain said barrier means in said first position thereof so that
said pusher assembly can be advanced along said path to effect
firing of said staples, said restraining means being movable in
response to firing movement of said pusher assembly relative to
said frame means so that said barrier means is movable to said
second position to prevent refiring after the pusher assembly has
been moved to said retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A
surgical stapler as set forth in claim 13 in which said frame means
comprises an upper and lower jaw member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. A
surgical stapler comprising: a cartridge having a plurality of
staples, and a plurality of movable drivers for firing said
staples, frame means for carrying said cartridge, said cartridge
defining at least one longitudinal slot, firing means including a
pusher assembly movable relative to said frame means, said pusher
assembly including at least one pusher bar movable within said
longitudinal slot for engaging said movable drivers, and for moving
said drivers in a direction perpendicular to the direction of
movement of said pusher bar, a lockout mechanism for preventing
firing movement of the pusher assembly after the pusher assembly
has been moved to a retracted position by longitudinal movement of
said pusher assembly along said path in a direction opposite to a
direction of said firing movement, said lockout mechanism including
barrier means for preventing refiring movement of said pusher
assembly, said barrier means being movable from a first position to
a second position for preventing movement of the pusher assembly
from said retracted position when the barrier means is in said
second position, and restraining means separate from and responsive
to movement of said pusher bar along said path for blocking said
barrier means to maintain said barrier means in said first position
thereof so that said pusher assembly can be advanced along said
path to effect firing of said staples by engagement of said pusher
bar with said drivers, said restraining means being movable in
response to firing movement of said pusher assembly relative to
said frame means so that said barrier means is movable to said
second position to prevent refiring after the pusher assembly has
been moved to said retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A
surgical stapler in accordance with claim 15, where the barrier
means includes resilient projecting means biased from said first
position toward said second position wherein in said second
position said projecting means projects into the path of said
pusher assembly and prevents movement of said pusher assembly from
the retracted position thereof relative to said frame means by
engagement of said resilient projecting means with said pusher
assembly. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A surgical stapler comprising a
staple-filled cartridge having one or more slots, frame means for
carrying said cartridge, a firing means including a pusher assembly
movable relative to said frame means, said pusher assembly
comprising one or more pusher bars respectively extending through
said slots to fire said staples, a firing knob operatively
connected to said pusher assembly for moving the pusher assembly in
a firing direction down a path to fire the staples, and in a
direction opposite said firing direction to a retracted position
after at least a portion of the staples have been fired, a lockout
mechanism for preventing firing movement of the pusher assembly
after the pusher assembly has been moved to the retracted position,
said lockout mechanism including barrier means for preventing
movement of the pusher assembly from said retracted position, said
barrier means comprising resilient projecting means normally biased
toward a position to engage said pusher assembly to prevent
movement of said pusher assembly relative to said resilient
projecting means after said pusher assembly has been moved to said
retracted position, and restraining means separate from said pusher
bar for blocking said resilient projecting means of said barrier
means to maintain said resilient projecting means out of the path
of the pusher assembly during staple firing, said restraining means
being movable by said pusher assembly during firing movement of the
pusher assembly whereby the resilient projecting means of the
barrier means is released to allow the resilient projecting means
to move into the path of the pusher assembly to prevent firing
movement of said pusher assembly
after movement thereof to said retracted position. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.18. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 17 in which the
pusher assembly moves said restraining means to release said
barrier means during partial movement of said pusher assembly.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 18 in
which the cartridge includes a plurality of movable driers for
firing said staples and the drivers comprise the restraining means
that preclude the barrier means from moving into position to
prevent firing movement of the pusher assembly after it has been
moved to a retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A surgical
stapler as set forth in claim 17 in which the lockout mechanism
prevents said pusher bars from passing more than one time through
said longitudinal slots. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. A surgical stapler
comprising a staple-filled cartridge having one or more slots,
frame means for carrying said cartridge, a firing means including a
pusher assembly movable relative to said frame means, said pusher
assembly comprising one or more pusher bars respectively extending
through said slots to fire said staples, a firing knob operatively
connected to said pusher assembly for providing an initial
longitudinal firing movement of the pusher assembly down a path to
fire the staples, and in a direction opposite to a direction of
said firing movement to a retracted position after at least a
portion of the staples have been fired, a lockout mechanism for
preventing a subsequent longitudinal firing movement of the pusher
assembly after the pusher assembly has been moved to the retracted
position, said lockout mechanism including barrier means for
preventing movement of the pusher assembly from said retracted
position, said barrier means comprising resilient projecting means
normally biased toward a position to engage said pusher assembly to
prevent movement of said pusher assembly relative to said resilient
projecting means after said pusher assembly has been moved to said
retracted position, and restraining means for blocking said
resilient projecting means of said barrier means to maintain said
resilient projecting means out of the path of the pusher assembly
during staple firing, said restraining means being movable by said
pusher assembly during said initial longitudinal firing movement of
the pusher assembly whereby the resilient projecting means of the
barrier means is released to allow the resilient projecting means
to move into the path of the pusher assembly to prevent firing
movement of said pusher assembly after movement thereof to said
retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A surgical stapler as set
forth in claim 21 in which the pusher assembly moves said
restraining means to release said barrier means upon partial
movement of the pusher bars through said slots. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23.
A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 21 in which the pusher
assembly moves said restraining means to release said barrier means
upon full movement of the pusher bars through said slots. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.24. A surgical stapler comprising a frame, a cartridge filled
with staples and positionable in operative association with said
frame and having one or more slots, a firing assemblage including a
pusher assembly movable relative to said frame, said pusher
assembly comprising one or more pusher bars respectively extending
through said slots to fire said staples, a member operatively
connected to said pusher assembly for moving the pusher assembly in
a firing direction down a path to fire the staples, and in a
direction opposite to said firing direction to a retracted position
after at least a portion of the staples have been fired, a lockout
mechanism for preventing firing movement of the pusher assembly in
the firing direction after the pusher assembly has been moved to
the retracted position, said lockout mechanism including a barrier
assemblage for preventing movement of the pusher assembly from said
retracted position, said barrier assemblage comprising a resilient
projecting member normally biased toward a position to engage said
pusher assembly to prevent movement of said pusher assembly
relative to said resilient projecting member after said pusher
assembly has been moved to said retracted position, and a
restraining structure separate from said pusher bar for blocking
said barrier assemblage to maintain said resilient projecting
member out of the path of the pusher assembly during staple firing,
said restraining structure being movable by said pusher assembly
during movement of the pusher assembly in the firing position
whereby the barrier assemblage is released to allow the resilient
projecting member to move into the path of the pusher assembly to
prevent firing movement of said pusher assembly
after movement thereof to said retracted position. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.25. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 24 in which the
pusher assembly moves said restraining structure to release said
barrier assemblage upon partial movement of the pusher bars through
said slots. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. A surgical stapler as set forth in
claim 24 in which the pusher assembly moves said restraining
structure to release said barrier assemblage upon full movement of
the pusher bars through said slots. .Iaddend.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is generally related to a device for prevention of
refiring or surgical staplers. More specifically, this invention is
related to a device which prevents the refiring and reloading of a
spent staple cartridge in a surgical stapler.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Surgical staplers have become a very typical form of wound closure
during surgery. These surgical staplers can perform various
functions such as closing internal wounds, as well as suturing
skin. Many of these surgical staplers have reloadable cartridges.
These cartridges allow for the rapid reloading of the surgical
stapler during the operation. That is, the stapler can be used, the
spent cartridge removed, and the surgical stapler reloaded with
another cartridge and ready for use.
One problem, however, is the refiring of staplers containing spent
cartridges. In other words, during the course of surgery it may be
possible for the surgeon to use the surgical stapler and then
inadvertently not reload the stapler with an unused cartridge. The
stapler is then inserted into the wound for use, and then fired. Of
course, because the cartridge is already spent, the stapler will
not be able to fire another round of staplers. This results in a
delay while reloading the surgical stapler.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to Provide a
means with which to prevent a spent staple cartridge from being
fired.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a means
with which to prevent a spent staple cartridge from being unloaded
from a surgical stapler and then being reloaded into any other
surgical stapler.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an
indicating means to show that a staple cartridge has been
fired.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a means
within which a user will know whether a staple cartridge has not
been fired.
Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
means by which a lock-out mechanism prevents the firing apparatus
in a stapler from being used within a staple cartridge after the
cartridge has been spent.
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in a
lock-out mechanism in a surgical stapler cartridge. The lock-out
mechanism comprises a device actuable upon the firing of the
staples by the stapler. The lock-out mechanism also prevents the
refiring of the stapler when loaded with the spent cartridge.
The lock-out mechanism is generally a spring loaded device which is
actuated during firing other staples to cause a barrier to be
placed within the path of the firing mechanism. In addition, the
device of the present invention includes a reloading barrier
actuable upon the same firing. This reloading barrier will prevent
an unloaded staple cartridge from being reloaded into a surgical
stapler. This is accomplished by a mechanism which causes the
staple cartridge to become too wide to allow emplacement within the
surgical stapler.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects of of the present invention will be more fully
described in the following detailed description of the invention
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view in perspective of a surgical stapler
loaded with a cartridge containing the lockout mechanism of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the lockout mechanism of the present
invention during actuation of the lockout mechanism at the
beginning of the stroke of the surgical stapler;
FIG. 3 is an elevation view and partial cross section of the
invention further along the stroke;
FIG. 4 is an elevation view and partial cross section with the
firing mechanism activated and the surgical stapler unable
reloaded;
FIG. 5 is an exploded view in perspective of the surgical staple
cartridge with the lockout mechanism activated;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of a preloaded
lockout mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the lockout
mechanism of the present invention in lockout position;
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention shown in both the loaded and lockout positions;
FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 10 is an additional preferred embodiment of the lockout
barrier aspect of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a partial view of the actuated barrier aspects of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
As seen in FIG. 1, a typical surgical stapler 10 will have an upper
jaw 20, firing means 30, a lower jaw of 40 and a staple cartridge
50 which fits within the lower jaw 40. .Iadd.The upper jaw 12 and
lower jaw 40 form a typical frame means of the stapler 10.
.Iaddend.The firing means 30 will generally comprise a pusher bar
or firing wedge 32, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. Returning to
FIG. 1, the firing means 30 will also contain a knife 34 which
generally will be placed between the firing wedges 32. The firing
wedges 32 will fit within longitudinal slots 33 located on the
staple cartridge 50, as best seen in FIG. 5. Continuing with FIG.
5, the cartridge 50 will contain parallel side walls 51 which fit
within the lower jaw channel 44. As seen in FIG. 1, a firing knob
42 activates the firing means 30 in order to send the firing wedges
32 through the staple cartridge 50.
When the firing wedges 32 pass through the longitudinal slots 33 in
the staple cartridge 50, the firing wedges 32 come into contact
with drivers 52. These drivers 52 are best seen in FIG. 6 or FIG.
8. The drivers 52 will activate staples not shown so that the
staples will be ejected from the slots 53 seen in FIG. 5. On the
upper jaw 20, there is an anvil not shown which will form the
staples when they are driven through the slots 53.
One aspect of the present invention is seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.
When the firing wedge 32 travels through the staple cartridge 50,
and is activating drivers 52, it will come into contact with a
lockout mechanism 90. This lockout mechanism 90 is comprised of a
strip 92 which has a front end 94. This front end 94 is spring
loaded and sits within a hollow 59 of the staple cartridge 50. When
the firing wedge 32 advances far enough into the staple cartridge
50, the front end 94 of the strip 92 is activated so that it moves
entirely within the hollow 59. An indicator flag 58 is then
activated to demonstrate the firing of the staples. When this strip
90 continues to move forward in the staple cartridge 50, a detent
.Iadd.or restraining .Iaddend.means 98 is moved away from a barrier
lock 96, as seen in FIG. 3. When the firing wedges 32 are retracted
from the staple cartridge 50, the barrier lock 96 is able to move
into the path of the firing wedge 32, as seen in FIG. 4. At this
point, therefore, the firing wedge 32 is no longer able to move
through the longitudinal slots 33 of the staple cartridge, because
it is blocked by the barrier lock 96. Thus, the lockout mechanism
90 prevents refiring of the spent staple cartridge 50. Of course,
because the indicator flag 58 is activated, the user acknowledges
this fact and can reload the stapler 10 with a new unused staple
cartridge 50.
An additional aspect of the lockout mechanism of the present
invention is shown in FIG. 5. There is seen lockout spring or
barrier 80. This barrier 80 comprises ears 81 which are fit under a
cover or sleeve 82. The ears 81 are urged away from the staple
cartridge 50 by means of a spring 84, which is generally a leaf
spring integral with the lockout mechanism 80. When the strip 92 is
moved forward in the staple cartridge 50 to activate the indicator
flag 58 (also shown in FIG. 5), the outer wall 86 of the strip 92
also moves forward. This causes the ears 81 to be displaced from
beneath the cover or sleeve 82. Of course, because the staple
cartridge is seated within the lower jaw channel 44, the ears 81
are not displaced away from the sides of the walls 51 of the staple
cartridge 50. However, when the staple cartridge 50 is removed from
the stapler 10, the ears 81 are activated by the leaf spring 84 in
order to be displaced away from the walls 51. At this point, then,
the staple cartridge 50 is no longer insertable within the lower
jaw channel 44. Again, the indicator flag 58 has been activated to
show that the staple cartridge 50 is spent. Thus, the user is
prevented from reloading the spent staple cartridge 50 and will
only be able to load an unused staple cartridge 50.
Another aspect of the lockout mechanism of the present invention is
demonstrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. Here is seen firing barrier 60. This
firing barrier 60 comprises a spring loaded blocking leg 62 and a
base leg 64. This spring loaded blocking leg 62 is generally urged
away from the base leg 64 by a first spring 63, which will
generally be a leaf spring similar to the leaf spring 84 in the
lockout mechanism 80.
When the staple cartridge has yet to be fired, the drivers 52 in
the staple cartridge hold the firing barrier 60 between the drivers
52. The firing barrier 60 is held in place around a knob 54 molded
into the staple cartridge 50. When the firing wedges 32 pass
through the staple cartridge 50 in order to activate the drivers
52, the drivers 52 are moved down these slots 53 so that the area
once occupied by the drivers 52 is evacuated. When this happens,
the spring loaded blocking leg 62 is able to be moved by the first
spring 63 away from the base leg 64. In addition, the base leg 64
is also able to be moved within a cut-out 56 made in the staple
cartridge 50.
This position of the firing barrier 60 will prevent the refiring of
the pusher bars or firing wedges 32 after they have been retracted
from the staple cartridge 50. In addition, because the spring
loaded blocking legs 62 will generally have a resting position
wider than the width of the staple cartridge 50, when the staple
cartridge 50 is removed from the lower jaw channel 44 of the
surgical stapler 10, the spring loaded blocking leg 62 will rest in
a wider position than the staple cartridge 50. This prevents
reloading of the spent staple cartridge 50, so that only an unused
staple cartridge 50 can be inserted into the surgical stapler
10.
A further aspect of the present invention can be seen in FIGS. 8
and 9. This aspect comprises firing barrier 70 which operates much
on the same basis as firing barrier 60. The firing barrier 760
contains a spring-loaded base 72 which is held in place within the
staple cartridge 50. There is also a blocking portion 74 which is
generally urged by the spring-loaded base 72 to a position in the
path of the firing wedges 32. Generally, the drivers 52 will hold
the firing barrier 70 in place between the drivers 52. However,
when the firing wedge 32 activates the drivers 52, the firing
barrier 70 is urged into the path of the firing wedges 32. At that
point, the firing wedges 32 can no longer pass through the staple
cartridge 50. The spent staple cartridge 50 must be replaced with a
unused staple cartridge 50.
One final aspect of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 10 and
11. There is shown a reloading barrier 180, comprised ears 181 and
pivoting cover 182. The ears 181 are generally urged by a spring
force outside the walls 51 of the staple cartridge 50. Generally,
the pivoting cover 182 holds the ear 181 in place within the walls
51 of the staple cartridge 50. However, when the firing wedge 32 of
the firing means 30 is sent through the staple cartridge 50 to
activate the drivers 52, the firing wedge 32 also comes into
contact with the pivoting cover 182. This causes the ears 181 of
the staple cartridge to be urged by their spring force to a
position where they will remain outside of the walls 51 of the
staple cartridge 50. Thus, when the staple cartridge 50 is removed
from the lower jaw channel 44 of the surgical stapler 10, the ears
181 relax to a point where they become wider than the width of the
staple cartridge 50. This prevents reloading of the staple
cartridge 50 within the lower jaw channel 44 of the surgical
stapler 10. Only an unused staple cartridge 50 will be able to be
loaded into the stapler 10.
The unique combination of features possessed by the present
invention render them well suited for use within a surgical
stapler, in order to prevent refiring or reloading of a spent
surgical staple cartridge. This enhances speed and time of
performance for the surgeon. Naturally, these combinations may be
useful for other types of cartridge-loading mechanisms. Of course,
while several means are available, the particular advantageous
embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention. It will
be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and
modifications may be made in the invention without departing from
its scope, which is defined by the following claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *