Surgical staple and endoscopic stapler

Claim 2

A staple as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: (a) an abutment formed in each of said arms intermediate said first bend and said base portion; and (b) wherein a plurality of said staples are disposable in a nested series fashion within an endoscopic stapler.

Claim 3

A staple as claimed in claim 2 wherein: (a) said base portion is substantially straight; and (b) said abutment comprises a second bend formed in said arms.

Claim 4

A surgical staple comprising: (a) a length of metal wire formed to have: (i) a substantially straight base; (ii) two curved arms having distal ends extending from said base such that the distance between the distal ends thereof is less than the length of the base, said distal ends having inwardly directed beveled surfaces; (iii) a bend formed in each arm intermediate the distal end thereof and the base such that an abutment is formed thereby; and (b) wherein crimping of the staple causes the distal ends thereof to move toward each other such that the beveled surfaces are brought into confronting relation thereby to reduce the probability of inadvertently extraction of the staple.

Claim 5

An endoscopic staple for in vivo stapling of anatomical body portions and therapeutic devices, said stapler comprising: (a) an elongate member having a distal end, said elongate member sized to be received by a trocar; (b) said elongate member being adapted to accommodate a plurality of staples; (c) an actuating mechanism disposed proximate the distal end of said elongate member; (d) jaw means positioned at the distal end of said elongate member, said jaw means being adapted to receive a staple from within said elongate member; wherein actuation of said actuating mechanism causes a staple to be dispensed from the distal end of said elongate member and then to be formed by said jaw means such that: (i) said staple is urged into the anatomical body portion or therapeutic device being stapled; (ii) the distal ends of said staple are crimped toward each other into confronting relation.

Claim 6

A stapler as claimed in claim 5 wherein said jaw means further comprises: (a) two opposing jaws configured to hold and crimp a staple; (b) a channel, sized and configured to receive a series of nested staples and to feed said staples toward said jaws; (c) wherein said jaws crimp a staple held therein and said channel feeds the staples received thereby in response to the actuation of said actuating mechanism.

Claim 7

A stapler as claimed in claim 6 wherein said actuating mechanism comprises: (a) a trigger; and (b) a push rod attached to said trigger such that said push rod moves in response to actuation of said trigger, said push rod being attached to said jaws such that said jaws extend in response to motion of said push rod.

Claim 8

A stapler as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a pressure plate disposed within the distal end of said elongate member, said pressure plate being spring baised to urge staples into said jaws.

Claim 9

A stapler as claimed in claim 8 further comprising: (a) a first camming surface formed on said push rod; (b) a second corresponding camming surface formed on said pressure plate; (c) wherein the motion of said push rod resulting from the actuation of said trigger causes said first and second camming surfaces to cooperate such that said pressure plate is urged away from said jaws to facilitate the feeding of a staple from said channel to said jaws.

Claim 10

A stapler as claimed in claim 9 further comprising: (a) a spring disposed proximate said jaws for biasing said jaws apart; (b) a third camming surface formed within said elongate member; (c) fourth camming surfaces formed upon said jaws; (d) wherein extension of said jaws causes said third and fourth camming surfaces to cooperate to urge said jaws together.

Claim 11

A stapler as claimed in claim 7, 8, 9 or 10 and further comprising an adjustment means disposed within said stapler for limiting the movement of said trigger such that the amount of crimp applied to a staple may be selectively varied.

Claim 12

A stapler as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 11 and further comprising a spring for urging a series of nested staples through said channel toward said jaws.

Claim 13

A stapler as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 12 wherein the outer diameter of said elongate member is less than one centimeter.

Claim 14

An endoscopic stapling system for in vivo stapling anatomical body portions and therapeutic devices, said stapler comprising: (a) a staple configured such that the distal ends have inwardly directed beveled surfaces which are adapted to move toward each other into confronting relation when crimped thereby to reduce the probability of inadvertent extraction of the staple. (b) a stapler having jaw means configured to sequentially receive a plurality of said staples, and to crimp said staples to anatomical portions of the body and to therapeutic devices.

Claim 15

A stapling system as claimed in claim 14 wherein: (a) said staple comprises: (i) a base portion; (ii) two arms extending from said base portion, each arm having a distal end with an inwardly directed beveled surface; and (iii) a first bend formed in each arm such that the distal ends of said arms are curved toward each other; and (b) said stapler comprises: (i) an elongate member having a distal end, said elongate member sized to be received by a trocar, a plurality of said staples being disposable within said elongate member; (ii) an actuating mechanism disposed proximate the proximal end of said elongate member; (c) wherein actuation of said actuating mechanism causes a staple to be disposed from the distal end of said elongate member such that (i) said staple is urged into the material being stapled; (ii) the distal ends of said staple are crimped toward each other.

Claim 16

A stapling system as claimed in claim 14 or 15 wherein: (a) said staple further comprises an abutment formed in said arms intermediate said first bend and said base portion; (b) said stapler further comprises: (i) two opposing jaws configured to hold and crimp a staple; and (ii) a channel, sized and configured to receive a series of nested staples and to feed said staples toward said jaws; and (c) wherein: (i) said jaws are able to crimp a staple held therein; (ii) said abutment prevents said staple from slipping from said jaws prior to being crimped; and (iii) said channel feeds staples received thereby to said jaws in response to the actuation of said actuating mechanism.

Claim 17

A stapling system as claimed in claim 16 wherein: (a) said base portion is substantially straight; (b) said abutment comprises a second bend in said arms; and (c) said actuating mechanism comprises: (i) a trigger; and (ii) a push rod attached to said trigger such that said push rod moves in response to actuation of said trigger, said push rod being attached to said jaws such that said jaws extend in response to motion of said push rod.

Claim 18

A stapling system as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 17 wherein: (a) said stapler further comprise a pressure plate disposed within the distal end of said elongate member and spring-biased to urge staples into said jaws.

Claim 19

A stapling system as claimed in claim 18 wherein: (a) at least one first camming surface is formed on said push rod; (b) at least one second corresponding camming surface is formed on said pressure plate; (c) wherein the motion of said push rod resulting from the actuation of said trigger causes said first and second camming surfaces to cooperate such that said pressure plate is urged away from said jaws to facilitate the feeding of a staple from said channel to said jaws.

Claim 20

A stapling system as claimed in claim 19 further comprising: (a) a spring disposed proximate said jaws for biasing said jaws apart; (b) a third camming surface formed within said elongate member; (c) fourth camming surfaces formed upon said jaws: (d) wherein extension of said jaws causes said third and fourth camming surfaces to cooperate to urge said jaws together.

Claim 21

A stapling system as claimed in claim 17, or any one of claims 18 to 20 as dependent on claim 17, further comprising: (a) an adjustment means disposed within said stapler for limiting the movement of said trigger such that the amount of crimp applied to a staple may be varied; (b) a spring for urging said series of nested staples through said channel toward said jaws; and (c) wherein the outer diameter of said elongate member is less than one centimeter.