Patent ID: 11931030
Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 13:
14. A surgical stapling device comprising:
an elongate body having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
a tool assembly supported on the distal portion of the elongate body, the tool assembly including:
a U-shaped frame having a first transverse portion, a second transverse portion, and a longitudinal portion, the longitudinal portion connecting the first transverse portion to the second transverse portion, the second transverse portion defining at least one longitudinal slot;
an anvil assembly supported on the first transverse portion of the U-shaped frame, the anvil assembly including staple deforming surface defining a knife slot and a lower opening;
a cartridge assembly including a cartridge body having side walls with inner surfaces defining a cavity, the inner surfaces of the side walls defining at least one longitudinal channel;

a clamp slide assembly including a distal portion and a proximal portion, the distal portion defining a distal cartridge support, the clamp slide assembly movable between a retracted position and an advanced position to move the cartridge assembly in relation to the anvil assembly between open and clamped positions, the distal cartridge support of the clamp slide assembly having an outer surface that defines at least one guide member, wherein the at least one longitudinal guide channel of the cartridge body receives the at least one guide member of the distal cartridge support during securement of the cartridge assembly to the distal cartridge support of the clamp slide assembly to properly align the cartridge assembly onto the distal cartridge support.