Patent ID: 11896223
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) a housing;
(b) a shaft extending from said housing;
(c) an articulation joint;
(d) an end effector rotatably connected to said shaft about said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises:
(1) an elongate channel configured to operably support a staple cartridge including staples removably stored therein, wherein said elongate channel comprises a pivot pin; and
(2) an anvil rotatable relative to said elongate channel between an open position and a closed position about said pivot pin; and

(e) a firing member configured to be advanced distally through a firing stroke in response to a rotary motion applied thereto, wherein said staples of said staple cartridge are configured to be deformed against said anvil during said firing stroke, and wherein said firing member comprises:
(1) a distal head comprising an upper tab and a lower foot, wherein said upper tab is configured to engage said anvil during said firing stroke, and wherein said lower foot is configured to engage said elongate channel during said firing stroke; and
(2) a proximal portion extending proximally from said distal head into at least a portion of said shaft, wherein said proximal portion comprises:
(A) a lower bar segment positioned below said pivot pin, wherein a portion of said lower bar segment is configured to flex from a raised position to a lowered position; and
(B) an upper bar segment positioned above said pivot pin, wherein a portion of said upper bar segment extends into said anvil during said firing stroke of said firing member.