Patent ID: 8348131
Filing Date: 2013-01-08
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A surgical instrument comprising: a cartridge supporting assembly for operably supporting a staple cartridge therein, the cartridge supporting assembly being responsive to firing and retraction motions applied thereto from a firing assembly; an anvil; an anvil closure assembly coupled to the anvil and configured to selectively move the anvil in a proximal direction toward the cartridge supporting assembly to enable the anvil to compress a portion of tissue between a staple cartridge supported by the cartridge supporting assembly and the anvil; a distal cap portion operably communicating with the anvil closure assembly such that upon actuation of the distal cap portion in a first direction, the anvil closure assembly causes the anvil to move in the proximal direction and upon actuation of the distal cap portion in a second direction, the anvil closure assembly causes the anvil to move in a distal direction away from the staple cartridge; a proximal cap portion movably supported relative to the distal cap portion for movement in the first and second directions; and a variable load generating member interconnecting said proximal cap portion and said distal cap portion such that when the proximal cap portion is rotated relative to said distal cap portion in a rotational direction, the variable load generating member causes the distal cap portion to move in the first direction while applying a resistive load to the proximal cap portion resisting further rotation of said proximal cap in the rotational direction in relation to an amount of compression force applied to the tissue between the anvil and the staple cartridge.