Patent ID: 7669746

Claim:
A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator and cutting portion and an anvil that is selectively movable between open and closed positions for forming a plurality of like-sized staples, said staple cartridge comprising: a cartridge body supportable within the stapling device for selective confronting relationship with the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position, said cartridge body configured to operably receive the actuator and cutting portion therein to enable said actuator and cutting portion to be longitudinally advanced through said cartridge from a proximal end to a distal end; a plurality of first staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body and being sequentially movable from an unactuated position to an actuated position upon sequential interaction with the actuator, each said first staple driver defining a first staple support cradle therein for supporting a staple thereon, each said first staple support cradle located a first staple forming distance from a corresponding portion of the closed anvil; and a plurality of second staple drivers movably supported within said cartridge body and being laterally spaced from said first staple driver, said at least one second staple driver being sequentially movable from another unactuated position to another actuated position upon sequential interaction with the actuator, each said second staple driver defining a second staple support cradle therein for supporting another staple thereon that, when unformed, is substantially similar in size to said staple supported on said first staple support cradle, each said second staple support cradle located a second staple forming distance from another portion of the closed anvil that corresponds to the second staple support cradle and wherein said second staple forming distance differs in magnitude from said first staple forming distance.