Patent ID: 8186555

Claim:
A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising: an end effector comprising: an elongate channel; a clamping member pivotably connected to the channel; and a moveable cutting instrument for traversing the channel to cut an object clamped in the end effector by the clamping member when the clamping member is in a clamped position; a main drive shaft assembly for actuating the cutting instrument in the end effector; a gear drive train connected to the main drive shaft assembly; a motor for actuating the gear drive train; a closure trigger; a mechanical closure system connected to the closure trigger and to the clamping member for causing the clamping member to pivot to the clamped position when the closure trigger is retracted; and a firing trigger separate from the closure trigger for actuating the motor when the firing trigger is retracted to cause the cutting instrument to traverse the channel such that a loading force on the firing trigger when retracted is related to another loading force experienced by the cutting instrument as the cutting instrument cuts the object clamped in the end effector.