Patent ID: 8728099

Claim:
A firing system for an applicator instrument adapted to dispense surgical fasteners comprising: a housing; an elongated shaft extending from said housing; a firing rod disposed within said elongated shaft; a firing rod release engageable with said firing rod for preventing distal movement of said firing rod during at least one stage of a firing cycle; a trigger mounted to said housing; a firing spring adapted to transfer energy to said firing rod for advancing said firing rod distally toward the distal end of said elongated shaft, said firing spring having a first end connected with said firing rod and a second end adapted for being sequentially coupled and decoupled from said trigger during said firing cycle; wherein said firing cycle comprises an initial stage in which said trigger is open and decoupled from said firing spring, and said firing spring is at least partially compressed, and a piloting stage during which said firing rod release is disengaged from said firing rod for enabling distal movement of said firing rod, and said trigger is compressible a first distance for coupling said trigger with said firing spring for moving said at least partially compressed firing spring distally, which, in turn, moves said firing rod distally at a first rate of speed that is proportional to the movement of said trigger.