Patent ID: 11918222
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G | IPC A  G

Claim 0:
1. A surgical stapling system, comprising:
a cartridge jaw, comprising:
a channel configured to receive a replaceable staple cartridge including a plurality of staples removably stored therein, wherein the channel comprises a base;
a longitudinal cartridge jaw slot defined in the channel, and wherein the base extends under the longitudinal cartridge jaw slot; and
a longitudinal array of cartridge jaw windows including a proximal-most cartridge jaw window and a distal-most cartridge jaw window, wherein the cartridge jaw windows are defined in the base;

an anvil jaw, comprising:
a top portion;
a longitudinal anvil jaw slot; and
an anvil jaw window defined in the top portion; and

a firing bar movable from a proximal position to a distal fully-fired position during a firing stroke, wherein the firing bar is movable within the longitudinal cartridge jaw slot and the longitudinal anvil jaw slot during the firing stroke, and wherein the firing bar comprises:
an anvil jaw-engaging portion, wherein the anvil jaw-engaging portion is viewable through the anvil jaw window when the firing bar is in the proximal position; and
a cartridge jaw-engaging portion configured to engage the cartridge jaw, wherein the longitudinal cartridge jaw slot is configured to receive the cartridge jaw-engaging portion during at least a portion of the firing stroke, wherein the base extends under the cartridge jaw-engaging portion during at least a portion of the firing stroke, wherein the cartridge jaw-engaging portion is viewable through the proximal-most cartridge jaw window when the firing bar is in the proximal position, and wherein the cartridge jaw-engaging portion is viewable through the distal-most cartridge jaw window when the firing bar is in the distal fully-fired position.