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

Claim 1:
2. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
an end effector, comprising:
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; and
a plurality of staple drivers configured to drive said plurality of staples during a staple firing stroke;

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 cam configured to engage said first jaw during said staple firing stroke;
a second cam configured to engage said second jaw during said staple firing stroke, wherein said first cam and said second cam are configured to co-operatively hold said first jaw and said second jaw relative to one another when said firing member is advanced toward said distal end, and wherein one of said first jaw and said second jaw comprises a clearanced opening configured to receive one of said first cam and said second cam such that said first jaw is not co-operatively held to said second jaw when said firing member is in an unadvanced position; and
a lateral projection positioned between said first cam and said second cam; and

a lockout, wherein said lockout is configured to block advancement of said firing member when said staple cartridge is not attached to the surgical stapling instrument, and wherein said sled defeats said lockout to permit said firing member to perform said staple firing stroke when said staple cartridge is attached to the surgical stapling instrument and said sled is in said proximal position.