Staple cartridges for forming staples having differing formed staple heights

摘要

A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil portion that is selectively movable between open and closed positions is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention include a cartridge body that movably supports first and second staple drivers. The staple drivers each support a staple thereon and serve to drive the staples into forming contact with the anvil upon actuation by the actuator. The various embodiments of the present invention enable the final formed heights of the staples to be varied without the need to use different sizes of staples.

主权项

1. A surgical staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling instrument that includes an anvil that includes at least one tissue stop portion thereon, the surgical staple cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body configured to be operably seated in a cartridge supporting portion of the surgical stapling instrument to confront a staple forming surface on the anvil when the anvil is moved to a closed position; a plurality of first staple drivers movably supported within the cartridge body, each first staple driver defining a first staple support cradle for supporting a first surgical staple thereon to define a linear row of first surgical staples within the cartridge body; and a plurality of second staple drivers movably supported within the cartridge body, each second staple driver defining a second staple support cradle for supporting a second surgical staple thereon to define another linear row of second surgical staples within the cartridge body and wherein a proximal-most first driver and a proximal-most second driver are configured and positioned within the cartridge body such that at least a portion of one first surgical staple and at least a portion of one second surgical staple are located proximal to a distal end of at least one of the tissue stop portions on the anvil when the first and second surgical staples are driven into forming contact with the staple forming surface on the anvil and such that the first surgical staples have a formed staple height that differs from a formed height of the second surgical staples.