Patent ID: 11963679
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 6:
7. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
a housing;
an elongate shaft extending from said housing;
an articulation joint;
an end effector rotatably coupled to said elongate shaft about said articulation joint, wherein said end effector comprises:
a first jaw;
a second jaw, wherein one of said first jaw and said second jaw is movable relative to the other of said first jaw and said second jaw between an open position and a closed position; and
a channel;

a staple cartridge replaceably seated in said channel, wherein said staple cartridge comprises:
a proximal end;
a distal end;
a longitudinal slot extending from said proximal end toward said distal end;
a plurality of staple cavities;
a plurality of staples removably positioned in said plurality of staple cavities;
a plurality of staple drivers configured to drive said plurality of staples during a staple firing stroke; and
a sled movable from a proximal position to a distal position during said staple firing stroke, wherein said sled is configured to move to said plurality of staple drivers to eject said plurality of staples from said plurality of staple cavities;

a firing member configured to distally advance said sled during said staple firing stroke, wherein said firing member comprises:
a first lateral projection configured to engage said first jaw during said staple firing stroke;
a second lateral projection configured to engage said second jaw during said staple firing stroke; and
a third lateral projection positioned between said first lateral projection and said second lateral projection; and

a lockout configured to prevent said firing member from distally advancing to perform said staple firing stroke when said sled is not in said proximal position prior to said staple firing stroke, wherein said sled abuts said firing member to permit said firing member to perform said staple firing stroke when said staple cartridge is seated in said channel and said sled is in said proximal position.