Patent ID: 11937812
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A surgical stapler comprising:
(a) a first half comprising a first elongate member, and a surface configured to form staples;
(b) a second half configured to releasably couple with the first half, wherein the second half comprises a second elongate member having a distal cartridge channel;
(c) a staple cartridge assembly configured to selectively couple with the distal cartridge channel of the second elongate member, wherein the staple cartridge assembly comprises a cartridge body defining a central slot;
(d) a firing assembly comprising a firing beam configured to actuate within the central slot of the staple cartridge assembly, wherein the firing assembly is configured to actuate from a pre-fired proximal position toward a distal position in order to staple and sever tissue captured between the surface of the first half and the staple cartridge assembly;
(e) a lockout assembly configured to prevent distal translation of the firing assembly in a locked configuration and allow distal translation of the firing assembly in an unlocked configuration, wherein the lockout assembly comprises a body associated with the staple cartridge assembly and configured to transition between a first position and a second position, wherein the body is configured to drive the firing assembly into the unlocked configuration while in the first position, wherein the body is configured to permit the firing assembly to assume the locked configuration while the body is in the second position, wherein the firing beam is configured to drive the body from the first position into the second in response to actuating from the pre-fired proximal position toward the distal position; and
(f) a bridge member affixed to the cartridge body and located at a proximal end of the central slot and extending across the central slot, wherein the bridge member is configured to inhibit the firing beam from entering the central slot via the proximal end of the central slot as the staple cartridge assembly is selectively coupled with the distal cartridge channel.