Patent ID: 8561870

Claim:
A surgical stapler, comprising: a curved anvil assembly, comprising: a tissue contacting surface; a plurality of staple pockets formed in said tissue contacting surface, wherein said staple pockets are positioned along a curve, and wherein each said staple pocket comprises: a staple pocket centerline, wherein a said staple pocket centerline of a first staple pocket is neither parallel to nor collinear with a said staple pocket centerline of a second staple pocket; a first forming cup, comprising: a first inside portion; a first outside portion; and a first interior sidewall extending between said first outside portion and said first inside portion, wherein said first interior sidewall comprises a first vertical portion which is substantially perpendicular to said tissue contacting surface; and a second forming cup, comprising: a second inside portion; a second outside portion, wherein said first inside portion is positioned in close relation to said second inside portion, wherein said first inside portion and said second inside portion are positioned offset with respect to said staple pocket centerline, wherein said first outside portion and said second outside portion are positioned on opposite sides of said first inside portion and said second inside portion, and wherein said first outside portion and said second outside portion are oriented in a direction which is transverse to said staple pocket centerline; and a second interior sidewall extending between said second outside portion and said second inside portion, wherein said second interior sidewall comprises a second vertical portion which is substantially perpendicular to said tissue contacting surface.