Surgical fastener applying apparatus

Claim 2

For use in a surgical fastener applying instrument having (a) a frame with a U-shaped distal portion including a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs, (b) anvil means mounted on the distal leg of the U, and (c) cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means, a cartridge comprising: means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means to removably admit the cartridge into the cartridge holder means by relative motion of the cartridge along an axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said transverse axis toward the base of the U when the cartridge holder means is linearly reciprocated away from the anvil means; and first cartridge registration means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means to cause the cartridge to move transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means to bring the cartridge into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 3

The cartridge defined in claim 1 further comprising: an alignment pin mounted adjacent the end of the cartridge remote from the base of the U for linear reciprocal motion substantially parallel to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means; and alignment pin advancing means for cooperating with the surgical fastener applying instrument and causing the alignment pin to reciprocate toward the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 4

The cartridge defined in claim 2 wherein the surgical fastener applying instrument has a cam surface on the base of the U and wherein the alignment pin advancing means comprises: cam follower means disposed on the cartridge for cooperating with the cam surface on the base of the U and causing the alignment pin to move toward the anvil means substantially faster than the cartridge moves toward the anvil means as the cartridge holder means reciprocates toward the anvil means.

Claim 5

Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising: a frame having a U-shaped distal portion, the U having a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs; anvil means disposed on the distal leg of the U; cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means; cartridge means; first means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for allowing the cartridge means to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along an axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said transverse axis toward the base of the U in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means away from the anvil means; and cartridge registration means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for causing the cartridge means to move transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means to bring the cartridge means into registration with the anvil means in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 6

Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising: a frame having a U-shaped distal portion, the U having a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs; anvil means disposed on the distal leg of the U; cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means; cartridge means; first means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for allowing the cartridge means to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along an axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said transverse axis toward the base of the U in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means away from the anvil means; and cartridge registration means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for causing the cartridge means to move transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means to bring the cartridge means into registration with the anvil means in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein the cartridge registration means comprises: cam surface means associated with one of the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means and including a portion which is transverse to both the distal leg and the base of the U; and cam follower means associated with the other of the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for contacting and traversing the cam surface means when the cartridge holder means is reciprocated toward the anvil means.

Claim 8

The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein the cartridge means includes: an alignment pin mounted adjacent the end of the cartridge means remote from the base of the U for linear reciprocal motion substantially parallel to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means; and alignment pin advancing means for causing the alignment pin to reciprocate toward the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein the alignment pin advancing means comprises: cam surface means disposed on the base of the U; and cam follower means disposed on the cartridge means and operatively connected to the alignment pin advancing means for traversing the cam surface means as the cartridge holder means is reciprocated toward the anvil means and for causing the alignment pin to move toward the anvil means substantially faster than the cartridge means moves toward the anvil means in response to said traversing of the cam surface means.

Claim 10

For use in a surgical fastener applying instrument having (a) a frame with a U-shaped distal portion including a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs, (b) anvil means mounted on the distal leg of the U, and (c) cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means, a cartridge comprising: means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means for allowing the cartridge to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along a first axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said first axis toward the base of the U; and first cartridge registration means for cooperating with the frame to cause the cartridge to move along a second axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said second axis away from the base of the U to bring the cartridge into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 11

For use in a surgical fastener applying instrument having (a) a frame with a U-shaped distal portion including a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs, (b) anvil means mounted on the distal leg of the U, and (c) cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means, a cartridge comprising: means for cooperating with the cartridge holder means for allowing the cartridge to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along a first axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said first axis toward the base of the U; and first cartridge registration means for cooperating with the frame to cause the cartridge to move along a second axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said second axis away from the base of the U to bring the cartridge into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 12

The cartridge defined in claim 8 wherein the surgical fastener applying instrument has a first cam surface on the base of the U, the first cam surface having a segment which is inclined toward the open end of the U in the direction of motion of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means, and wherein the first cartridge registration means comprises: first cam follower means on the cartridge means for traversing the first cam surface on the frame as the cartridge holder means moves toward the anvil means.

Claim 13

The cartridge defined in claim 9 further comprising: stop means on the cartridge for cooperating with the cartridge holder means to force the first cam follower means into contact with the first cam surface as the cartridge holder means moves toward the anvil means.

Claim 14

The cartridge defined in claim 10 wherein the surgical fastener applying instrument has a second cam surface on the cartridge holder means and wherein the stop means comprises: second cam follower means on the cartridge for traversing the second cam surface on the cartridge holder means as the cartridge holder means moves toward the anvil means.

Claim 15

Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising: a frame having a U-shaped distal portion, the U having a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs; anvil means disposed on the distal leg of the U; cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means; cartridge means; first means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for allowing the cartridge means to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along a first axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said first axis toward the base of the U in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means away from the anvil means; and cartridge registration means associated with the frame and the cartridge means for causing the cartridge means to move along a second axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said second axis away from the base of the U to bring the cartridge means into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 16

Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising: a frame having a U-shaped distal portion, the U having a distal leg, a proximal leg, and a base interconnecting the distal and proximal legs; anvil means disposed on the distal leg of the U; cartridge holder means disposed in the U for linear reciprocal motion toward and away from the anvil means; cartridge means; first means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for allowing the cartridge means to be removably inserted in the cartridge holder means along a first axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said first axis toward the base of the U in response to linear reciprocation of the cartridge holder means away from the anvil means; and cartridge registration means associated with the frame and the cartridge means for causing the cartridge means to move along a second axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means and in a direction along said second axis away from the base of the U to bring the cartridge means into registration with the anvil means in response to reciprocation of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 17

The apparatus defined in claim 12, wherein the cartridge registration means comprises: cam surface means on the frame including a cam surface segment which is transverse to the base of the U; and cam follower means on the cartridge means in contact with the cam surface means.

Claim 18

The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein the cam surface segment is inclined toward the open end of the U in the direction of motion of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 19

The apparatus defined in claim 14 further comprising: stop means associated with the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for forcing the cam follower means into contact with the cam surface means as the cartridge holder means moves toward the anvil means.

Claim 20

The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein the stop means comprises: a second cam surface means on one of the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means; and a second cam follower means on the other of the cartridge holder means and the cartridge means for contacting the second cam surface means.

Claim 21

The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the second cam surface means includes a second cam surface segment substantially parallel to the axis of reciprocation of the cartridge holder means.

Claim 22

The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the second cam surface means includes a second cam surface segment that is inclined toward the open end of the U in the direction of motion of the cartridge holder means toward the anvil means.

Claim 23

The apparatus defined in claim 16 wherein the cam surface means and cam follower means are adjacent the base of the U, and wherein the second cam surface means and cam follower means are adjacent the open end of the U.