Patent ID: 9700333
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A surgical end effector, comprising: first and second jaw members movable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position to clamp tissue therebetween; a first closure track formed in the first jaw member and extending along a length thereof; a second closure track formed in the second jaw member and extending along a length thereof; and a compression member configured such that a first portion of the compression member contacts the first closure track at a proximal-most end of the first closure track when the compression member is at a proximal-most position and a second portion of the compression member contacts the second closure track, the compression member being further configured to translate longitudinally along a length of the end effector to move the first jaw member and the second jaw member so as to apply compression to tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members as the compression member advances from the proximal-most position towards a distal end of the end effector; wherein, when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position, a distance between the first closure track and the second closure track increases continuously from the proximal-most end of the first closure track to a location adjacent to a distal end of the first closure track.