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

Claim 15:
16. 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; and
(2) an anvil rotatable relative to said elongate channel between an open position and a closed position about a pivot axis, and wherein said anvil comprises a longitudinal slot and a cavity oriented transverse to said longitudinal slot; and

(e) a firing member configured to be advanced distally through a firing stroke in response to a rotary motion, 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 portion comprising an upper cam and a lower cam, wherein said upper cam is configured to engage said anvil during said firing stroke, and wherein said lower cam is configured to engage said elongate channel during said firing stroke; and
(2) a proximal portion extending proximally from said distal portion into said shaft, wherein said proximal portion comprises:
(A) a lower bar; and
(B) an upper bar spaced apart from said lower bar, wherein a portion of said upper bar is configured to travel within said cavity of said anvil during said firing stroke, wherein a portion of said upper bar is movable relative to said lower bar so as to vary a distance between said lower bar and said portion.