Patent ID: 8857694

Claim:
A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapler comprising an anvil, said staple cartridge comprising: a cartridge body, comprising: a deck, wherein said deck comprises a staple storage zone; and a plurality of staple cavities defined within said cartridge body, wherein each said staple cavity comprises an opening in said deck, and wherein said openings are positioned within said staple storage zone; an implantable compressible portion positioned above said deck, wherein said implantable compressible portion extends over said staple storage zone, and wherein said compressible portion comprises: a top surface; and a bottom surface facing said deck; a plurality of staples, wherein at least a portion of each said staple is removably stored within a said staple cavity, wherein each said staple is movable between an unfired position and a fired position, wherein each said staple extends above said deck and is at least partially positioned within said compressible portion when each said staple is positioned in said unfired position, wherein each said staple is deformable between an unfired configuration and a fired configuration when each said staple is moved between said unfired position and said fired position, and wherein said compressible portion is configured to be captured within said staples and assume different compressed heights within different said staples when said staples are deformed between said unfired configuration and said fired configuration; and a removable insertion cap, comprising: a cover which covers at least a portion of said top surface of said compressible portion, wherein said cover extends over said staple cavity openings in said staple storage zone; an attachment portion releasably engaged with said cartridge body; and a plurality of supports extending from said cover configured to engage said cartridge body and limit relative movement between said insertion cap and said cartridge body.