Patent ID: 8728098

Claim:
An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners comprising: a housing; an elongated shaft extending from said housing, said elongated shaft having a proximal end coupled with said housing and a distal end remote therefrom; a firing system for dispensing surgical fasteners from the distal end of said elongated shaft, said firing system including a firing rod disposed in said elongated shaft and an energy storing element coupled with said firing rod, said firing system having a firing cycle with a first stage for advancing said firing rod toward the distal end of said elongated shaft at a first rate of speed and a second stage for advancing said firing rod toward the distal end of said elongated shaft at a second rate of speed that is greater than the first rate of speed, wherein said firing cycle includes an energy storing stage that occurs between the first stage and the second stage during which said firing rod is held stationary so that said firing rod cannot move toward the distal end of said elongated shaft while energy is built up in said energy storing element.