Patent ID: 8905287

Claim:
An anvil assembly for use with a surgical stapler, the anvil assembly comprising: a tissue contact surface; a plurality of staple pockets formed in the tissue contact surface, each of the plurality of staple pockets defining a longitudinal axis; and each of the plurality of staple pockets including first and second staple forming cups, each of the first and second staple forming cups having an outside portion and an inside portion, the inside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in close relation to each other and joined by a central portion therebetween, the outside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in spaced relation to each other, each of the first and second staple forming cups being defined by sidewalls and an elongated base surface extending within the first and second staple forming cups and the central portion therebetween; wherein the sidewalls have a linear profile extending to upper portions of the sidewalls, the upper portions of the sidewalls having an arcuate contoured profile that gradually approaches the tissue contact surface to form a line of intersection, wherein the line of intersection extends along the tissue contact surface to define a first curved portion bordering the upper portion of the sidewall of the first staple forming cup, a central portion and a second curved portion bordering the upper portion of the sidewall of the second staple forming cup, and wherein the central portion extends between the first curved portion of the line of intersection and the second curved portion and wherein the central portion defines two parallel lines defining the respective upper portions of the sidewalls extending along a portion of the tissue contact surface, the sidewalls extending along the central portion and beneath the tissue contact surface to the elongated base surface defined in the central portion that joins the first staple forming cup and the second staple forming cup.