Patent ID: 7913891

Claim:
A disposable loading unit for attachment to a surgical stapling apparatus, said disposable loading unit comprising: a tool assembly comprising: a carrier; an anvil assembly movably coupled to said carrier for selective movable travel between open and closed positions relative to said carrier; a staple cartridge supported in said carrier, said staple cartridge operably supporting a plurality of staples therein; and an actuator member movably supported within said tool assembly and configured to drive said plurality of staples out of said staple cartridge as said actuator member is driven from a starting position to an end position within said tool assembly; an axial drive assembly having a distal end portion constructed to move through said tool assembly and drive said actuator member from said starting to end position in response to a drive motion imparted to said axial drive assembly from the surgical stapling apparatus; and a spent cartridge indication system operably supported in said tool assembly and cooperating with said actuator member to provide an indication when at least some of the staples have been driven out of said staple cartridge, said spent cartridge system comprising an indicator pin supported within a distal end of said staple cartridge and being movable from a first unfired position to a fired position in response to movement of said actuator member, said indicator pin being configured to be locked in a protruding position when said actuator member has reached said end position.