Surgical stapler

Claim 2

A surgical stapler operable with a staple that is bendable from an open state which in upright orientation has a horizontal crossbar and generally downward extending pointed legs to a closed state with the legs pointed generally toward each other, the stapler in upright orientation comprising a housing, first means for holding at least one staple in said open state in said housing, an anvil at a first position for receiving a staple from said first means and supporting the crossbar of said staple, a forming blade movable downward through a first stage from start to closure positions and subsequently through a second stage from closure to strip positions, and second means for driving said forming blade through said stages, said forming blade comprising a body part having a lower portion comprising a drive surface which defines therein an upward extending arched recess having spaced apart side walls joined by a top wall, said side walls each comprising at least in part a first edge inclined relative to said downward direction, whereby, during movement of the forming blade through said first stage while said anvil remains stationary said drive surface engages and bends a staple about said anvil to said closed state thus forming sides of the staple between its crossbar and legs, and whereby, during movement of said forming blade through said second stage while said anvil remains stationary said inclined edges cam said sides of said staple in a direction transverse of said downward direction, thereby stripping said staple in closed state off of said anvil.

Claim 3

A stapler according to claim 1 wherein said first inclined edges cam a staple in closed state in a direction generally perpendicular to said first direction.

Claim 4

A stapler according to claim 1 wherein said staple in open state and upright orientation comprises a horizontal crossbar and legs which extend generally vertically downward therefrom.

Claim 5

A stapler as claimed in claim 3 wherein said staple has a partially closed state wherein said legs are directed to converge toward each other and wherein said forming blade has first, second and third sequential phases of movement during said first stage, said forming blade during said first phase bending said staple from open to partially closed state while said anvil remains stationary, said forming blade during said second phase driving said anvil and partially closed staple to a second anvil position displaced from said first position, said forming blade during said third phase bending said staple to said closed state.

Claim 6

A stapler according to claim 4 wherein said forming blade and second means operate reversibly and cyclically, the stapler further comprising means for holding a plurality of staples in said housing and for dispensing one staple at a time to said anvil, each dispensed staple being bendable from open to closed state during one cyclic operation of the stapler.

Claim 7

A stapler according to claim 4 further comprising stop means for releasable restraining said anvil at said start position and for supporting said sides of the staple on said anvil while said forming blade is driven from its start position to said partial closure position, said second means being coupled to remove said stop means from supporting said anvil and said sides of said staple when said forming blade moves through said second phase.

Claim 8

A stapler according to claim 4 further comprising stop means for releasably supporting said sides of the staple on said anvil while said forming blade is driven from its start position to said partial closure position, said second means being coupled to remove said stop means from supporting said staple sides when said forming blade moves through said second phase.

Claim 9

A stapler according to claim 1 wherein said forming blade further comprises a second inclined edge on said top wall of said recess inclined relative to said downward direction, whereby movement of said forming blade during said second stage causes said second inclined edge to cam said crossbar off of said anvil in said transverse direction while said first inclined edge cams said sides of said staple in closed state in said transverse direction.

Claim 10

A stapler according to claim 8 where said second inclined edge comprises a bevel in the range of 20° to 70° relative to said downward direction.

Claim 11

A stapler according to claim 1 wherein said staple in open state has legs extending downward and coverging toward each other, and wherein said forming blade has first and second sequential phases of movement during said first stage, said forming blade during said first phase driving said anvil and staple in said open state with legs extending downward and converging to a second position displaced from said first position, and said forming blade during said second phase while said anvil remains stationary at its second position bends said staple to said closed state.

Claim 12

A stapler according to claim 10 wherein said forming blade further comprises a second inclined edge on said top wall of said recess inclined relative to said downward direction, whereby movement of said forming blade during said second stage causes said second inclined edge to cam said crossbar off of said anvil in said transverse direction while said first inclined edge cams said sides of said staple in closed state in said transverse direction.

Claim 13

A stapler according to claim 11 where said second inclined edge comprises a bevel in the range of 20° to 70° relative to said downward direction.

Claim 14

A stapler according to claim 10 wherein said second means comprises a trigger having a pivotable part extending outward and exposed from said housing and a drive part coupled to said forming blade.

Claim 15

A stapler according to claim 10 wherein said first inclined edge is a bevel in the range of 20° to 70° relative to said downward direction.

Claim 16

A stapler according to claim 1 wherein said drive surface further comprises concave grooves for engaging the sides of a staple during said first stage.

Claim 17

A stapler according to claim 1 wherein said second means comprises a trigger having a pivotable part extending outward and exposed from said housing and a drive part coupled to said forming blade.

Claim 18

A stapler according to claim 1 wherein said first inclined edge is a bevel in the range of 20° to 70° relative to said downward direction.

Claim 19

A stapler according to claim 1 whereby said forming blade and second means operate reversibly and cyclically, the stapler further comprising means for holding a plurality of staples in said housing and for dispensing one staple at a time to said anvil, each dispensed staple being bendable from open to closed state during one cyclic operation of the stapler.

Claim 20

A surgical stapler operable with a staple that is bendable from an open state which in upright orientation has a horizontal crossbar and generally downward extending pointed legs to a closed state with the legs pointed generally toward each other and with sides of the staple extending generally downward between said crossbar and said legs, the stapler in upright orientation comprising a housing, first means for holding at least one staple in said open state in said housing, an anvil at a first position for receiving a staple from said first means and supporting the crossbar of said staple, a forming blade movable downward through a first stage from start to closure positions and subsequently through a second stage from closure to strip positions, second means for driving said forming blade through said stages, and a stripper for stripping a staple in closed state off said anvil, said stripper movably mounted in said housing and coupled to said second means and comprising a body part and a pair of spaced-apart stripper surfaces inclined relative to said downward direction of said forming blade and situated to engage said sides of the staple, whereby, during movement of the forming blade through said first stage while said anvil remains stationary said drive surface engages and bends a staple about said anvil to said closed state thus forming sides of the staple between its crossbar and legs, and whereby, during movement of said forming blade through said second stage while said anvil remains stationary said stripper surfaces engage and cam said sides of said staple in a direction transverse of said downward direction, thereby stripping said staple in closed state off of said anvil.

Claim 21

A surgical stapler operable with a staple that is bendable from an open state which in upright orientation has a horizontal crossbar and generally downward extending pointed legs to a closed state with the legs pointed generally toward each other and with sides of the staple extending generally downward between said crossbar and said legs, the stapler in upright orientation comprising a housing, first means for holding at least one staple in said open state in said housing, an anvil at a first position for receiving a staple from said first means and supporting the crossbar of said staple, a forming blade movable downward through a first stage from start to closure positions and subsequently through a second stage from closure to strip positions, second means for driving said forming blade through said stages, and a stripper for stripping a staple in closed state off said anvil, said stripper movably mounted in said housing and coupled to said second means and comprising a body part and a pair of spaced-apart stripper surfaces inclined relative to said downward direction of said forming blade and situated to engage said sides of the staple, whereby, during movement of the forming blade through said first stage while said anvil remains stationary said drive surface engages and bends a staple about said anvil to said closed state thus forming sides of the staple between its crossbar and legs, and whereby, during movement of said forming blade through said second stage while said anvil remains stationary said stripper surfaces engage and cam said sides of said staple in a direction transverse of said downward direction, thereby stripping said staple in closed state off of said anvil.

Claim 22

A surgical stapler operable with a staple that is bendable sequentially from an open state which in upright orientation has a horizontal crossbar and generally downward extending pointed legs to a closed state with legs pointed generally toward each other, the stapler in an upright orientation comprising a housing, first means for holding at least one staple in said open state in said housing, an anvil for receiving a staple from said first means and supporting the crossbar thereof, a forming blade movable in a downward direction sequentially from a start position through a first stage, first phase to a partial closure position, through a first stage, second phase to a closure position, and through a second stage to a strip position, and second means on said housing for driving said forming blade through said stages, said forming blade comprising a body part having a lower portion comprising a drive surface which defines therein an upward extending arched recess having spaced apart side walls joined by a top wall, whereby during movement of the forming blade through said first stage, first phase while said anvil remains stationary said drive surface engages and bends a staple about said anvil to a partially closed state forming sides of the staple between its crossbar and legs with said legs extending downward and converging toward each other, and movement of said forming blade through said second phase displaces said anvil and partially closed staple from said start position to a second position, and during movement of said forming blade through said second stage while said anvil remains stationary at said second position said drive surface bends said staple to said closed state about said anvil.

Claim 23

A surgical stapler operable with a staple that is bendable sequentially from an open state which in upright orientation has a horizontal crossbar and generally downward extending pointed legs to a closed state with legs pointed generally toward each other, the stapler in an upright orientation comprising a housing, first means for holding at least one staple in said open state in said housing, an anvil for receiving a staple from said first means and supporting the crossbar thereof, a forming blade movable in a downward direction sequentially from a start position through a first stage, first phase to a partial closure position, through a first stage, second phase to a closure position, and through a second stage to a strip position, and second means on said housing for driving said forming blade through said stages, said forming blade comprising a body part having a lower portion comprising a drive surface which defines therein an upward extending arched recess having spaced apart side walls joined by a top wall, whereby during movement of the forming blade through said first stage, first phase while said anvil remains stationary said drive surface engages and bends a staple about said anvil to a partially closed state forming sides of the staple between its crossbar and legs with said legs extending downward and converging toward each other, and movement of said forming blade through said second phase displaces said anvil and partially closed staple from said start position to a second position, and during movement of said forming blade through said second stage while said anvil remains stationary at said second position said drive surface bends said staple to said closed state about said anvil.

Claim 24

A stapler according to claim 20 wherein said side walls of said recess each comprise at least in part a first edge inclined relative to said downward direction, whereby during movement of the forming blade through said second stage while said anvil remains stationary said inclined edges cam said sides of said staple in a direction transverse of said downward direction for stripping said staple in closed state off of said anvil.

Claim 25

A stapler according to claim 20 wherein said forming blade further comprises a second inclined edge on said top wall of said recess inclined relative to said downward direction, whereby movement of said forming blade during said second stage causes said second inclined edge to cam said crossbar off of said anvil in said transverse direction while said first inclined edge cams said sides of said staple in closed state in said transverse direction.

Claim 26

A stapler according to claim 20 further comprising stop means for releasably restraining said anvil at said start position and for supporting said sides of the staple on said anvil while said forming blade is driven from its start position to said partial closure position, said second means being coupled to remove said stop means from supporting said anvil and said sides of said staple when said forming blade moves through said second phase.

Claim 27

A stapler according to claim 23 wherein said stop means comprises a first stop element positionable adjacent said anvil and a second stop element positionable beneath said crossbar adjacent said anvil.

Claim 28

A stapler according to claim 23 wherein said second means comprises a movable trigger having an engagable part extending and exposed from said housing and a drive part coupled to said forming blade.

Claim 29

A stapler according to claim 23 wherein said stop means comprises a pair of pin-like elements positionable below the sides of a staple on said anvil.

Claim 30

A stapler according to claim 20 further comprising stop means for releasably supporting said sides of the staple on said anvil while said forming blade is driven from its start position to said partial closure position, said second means being coupled to remove said stop means from supporting said staple sides when said forming blade moves through said second phase.