Don A Wilson

US Patent:

20140183244, Jul 3, 2014

Filed:

Dec 31, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/145855

Inventors:

- SUNNYVALE CA, US
TOM MCNAMARA - SUNNYVALE CA, US
JEFFREY A. SMITH - PETALUMA CA, US
BENNIE THOMPSON - SAN CARLOS CA, US
ASHLEY WELLMAN - CUPERTINO CA, US
DON WILSON - SUNNYVALE CA, US

Assignee:

INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC. - SUNNYVALE CA

International Classification:

A61B 17/068

US Classification:

2271801, 606167, 2271751

Abstract:

A surgical instrument having an elongated shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end. An end effector is coupled to the shaft distal end and includes opposed jaws. A housing is included in one of the jaws, the housing having a housing proximal end, a housing distal end, an upper surface, a distal garage having lateral surfaces that extend above the upper surface, and a plurality of staple openings extending through the upper surface. A knife member is supported within the housing for movement distally. The knife member is moveable into a predetermined parked position such that a first portion of the cutting blade displaces below the upper surface and a second portion remains displaced above the upper surface. There is enough lateral clearance in the predetermined parked position between the lateral faces and the second portion to accommodate a dislodged staple.