Surgical stapler cartridge lockout device

Abstract

A lockout mechanism actuable upon the firing of staples in a surgical staple cartridge such that the lockout mechanism prevents the refiring of the spent staple cartridge when the cartridge remains loaded within the surgical stapler. In addition, the lockout mechanism will prevent reloading of a spent staple cartridge within a surgical stapler after the spent staple cartridge has been removed from the surgical stapler.

What is claimed is: .[.1. In a surgical stapler having firing means for firing staples and in which a removable cartridge containing staples may be loaded and replaced by another removable cartridge, a lockout mechanism on said stapler actuable by said firing means upon the firing of said staples by said stapler such that said lockout mechanism blocks said firing means and prevents the refiring of said stapler when loaded with said spent cartridge..]. .[.2. The stapler of claim 1, said lockout mechanism further being spring loaded before the firing of said staples, such that upon said firing, said spring is actuated by contact between said firing means and said lockout mechanism to cause said lockout mechanism to enter said firing means path after retraction of said firing means to prevent the refiring of said firing means into said spent cartridge..]. .[.3. In a cartridge containing surgical staples and a path wherein a firing means from a surgical stapler can move in order to fire said stapler, a lockout mechanism comprising a firing barrier loaded by a first spring, said barrier preloaded on said cartridge before the insertion of said cartridge into a surgical stapler, said first spring actuable upon the firing of said stapler by said firing means located on said stapler, such that said barrier is caused by said first spring to move into said path to prevent the refiring of said staples loaded with 
     
        said spent cartridge..]. 4. .[.The lockout mechanism of claim 3 further comprising.]. .Iadd.In a cartridge containing surgical staples and a path wherein a firing means from a surgical stapler can move in order to fire said stapler, a lockout mechanism comprising a firing barrier loaded by a first spring, said barrier preloaded on said cartridge before the insertion of said cartridge into a surgical stapler, said first spring actuable upon the firing of said stapler by said firing means located on said stapler, such that said barrier is caused by said first spring to move into said path to prevent the refiring of said staples loaded with said spent cartridge, and .Iaddend.a reloading barrier movable between a firing position in which said reloading barrier is loaded by a second spring, and a blocking position, such that the firing of said firing means activates said second spring to cause said reloading barrier to pass from said firing position to said blocking position, said reloading barrier in said blocking position capable of preventing the reloading of said spent cartridge in any stapler upon the removable of said spent cartridge from 
     
     
        said stapler. 5. The lockout mechanism of claim 4 further comprising an indicator flag actuable upon the firing of said staples to indicate said 
     
     
        firing. 6. In a staple cartridge insertable within a surgical stapler and containing staples and comprising an elongated body including one or more longitudinal slots for slidably receiving one or more longitudinal pusher bars comprising a firing mechanism of said surgical stapler, and a plurality of drivers engageable by said pusher bars for ejecting the staples from the cartridge, said staple cartridge releasably fastened to a said surgical stapler, the improvement comprising a lockout mechanism connected to said longitudinal slots for preventing said pusher bars from 
     
     
        passing more than one time through said longitudinal slots. 7. In the staple cartridge of claim 6, the lockout mechanism comprising a strip slidable within said cartridge comprising: a front end emplaced within a narrow hollow located toward the front of said cartridge, said front end comprising a folded spring loaded strip such that said pusher bars can contact said front end and cause said front end to slide further toward the front of said cartridge such that said spring is actuated to open within said hollow; and   a spring loaded barrier lock located on the rear end of said strip, said barrier lock placed under a detent means within said cartridge in order to avoid contact with said pusher bars, said barrier lock loosened from said detent means upon the sliding of said front end, such that said barrier lock moves within the path of said pusher bars to prevent said pusher bars from passing within said cartridge upon the retraction of said pusher bars   
     
     
        from said cartridge. 8. In the staple cartridge of claim 7, said cartridge held within a narrow channel of said stapler, said cartridge having parallel side walls fitting within said narrow channel, the improvement further comprising a lockout spring attached to the side walls of said cartridge, said lockout spring comprising a resilient ear held in place by a cover moved by said pusher bars upon the actuation of said stapler to expose said ear, such that said ear becomes urged outside the width of said channel upon the removal of said cartridge, to prevent reinsertion of 
     
     
        said spent cartridge within said channel. 9. The staple cartridge of claim 8 wherein said cover is pivotable within said cartridge such that the 
     
     
        pivoting of said cover causes the exposing of said ears. 10. In the staple cartridge of claim 8, the improvement further comprising an indicator flag actuable by said folded spring loaded strip to emerge from said hollow 
     
     
        upon the firing of staples. 11. In the staple cartridge of claim 6, the improvement comprising a spring loaded bar emplaced within and held by said drivers such that when said pusher bar engages said drivers to activate said staples and said pusher bar is retracted from said cartridge, said spring loaded bar moves into the path of said pusher bars 
     
     
        to prevent motion of said pusher bars with said cartridge. 12. In the cartridge of claim 11, the lockout mechanism further comprising said spring loaded bar having a resting position beyond the width of said cartridge upon the firing of said staples, the activation of said bar and the removal of said cartridge from said stapler, such that said bar 
     
     
        prevents the reinsertion of said cartridge into said stapler. .Iadd.13.  A surgical stapler comprising: a cartridge having a plurality of staples frame means, for carrying said cartridge, firing means including a pusher assembly movable relative to said frame means in an initial longitudinal firing movement of the pusher assembly down a path to fire the staples, a lockout mechanism for preventing a subsequent longitudinal firing movement of the pusher assembly after the pusher assembly has been moved to a retracted position by longitudinal movement of said pusher assembly along said path in a direction opposite to a direction of said firing movement, said lockout mechanism including barrier means for preventing refiring movement of said pusher assembly, said barrier means being movable from a first position to a second position, and restraining means for blocking said barrier means to maintain said barrier means in said first position thereof so that said pusher assembly can be advanced along said path to effect firing of said staples, said restraining means being movable in response to firing movement of said pusher assembly relative to said frame means so that said barrier means is movable to said second position to prevent refiring after the pusher assembly has been moved to said retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 13 in which said frame means comprises an upper and lower jaw member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. A surgical stapler comprising: a cartridge having a plurality of staples, and a plurality of movable drivers for firing said staples, frame means for carrying said cartridge, said cartridge defining at least one longitudinal slot, firing means including a pusher assembly movable relative to said frame means, said pusher assembly including at least one pusher bar movable within said longitudinal slot for engaging said movable drivers, and for moving said drivers in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of said pusher bar, a lockout mechanism for preventing firing movement of the pusher assembly after the pusher assembly has been moved to a retracted position by longitudinal movement of said pusher assembly along said path in a direction opposite to a direction of said firing movement, said lockout mechanism including barrier means for preventing refiring movement of said pusher assembly, said barrier means being movable from a first position to a second position for preventing movement of the pusher assembly from said retracted position when the barrier means is in said second position, and restraining means separate from and responsive to movement of said pusher bar along said path for blocking said barrier means to maintain said barrier means in said first position thereof so that said pusher assembly can be advanced along said path to effect firing of said staples by engagement of said pusher bar with said drivers, said restraining means being movable in response to firing movement of said pusher assembly relative to said frame means so that said barrier means is movable to said second position to prevent refiring after the pusher assembly has been moved to said retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A surgical stapler in accordance with claim 15, where the barrier means includes resilient projecting means biased from said first position toward said second position wherein in said second position said projecting means projects into the path of said pusher assembly and prevents movement of said pusher assembly from the retracted position thereof relative to said frame means by engagement of said resilient projecting means with said pusher assembly. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A surgical stapler comprising a staple-filled cartridge having one or more slots, frame means for carrying said cartridge, a firing means including a pusher assembly movable relative to said frame means, said pusher assembly comprising one or more pusher bars respectively extending through said slots to fire said staples, a firing knob operatively connected to said pusher assembly for moving the pusher assembly in a firing direction down a path to fire the staples, and in a direction opposite said firing direction to a retracted position after at least a portion of the staples have been fired, a lockout mechanism for preventing firing movement of the pusher assembly after the pusher assembly has been moved to the retracted position, said lockout mechanism including barrier means for preventing movement of the pusher assembly from said retracted position, said barrier means comprising resilient projecting means normally biased toward a position to engage said pusher assembly to prevent movement of said pusher assembly relative to said resilient projecting means after said pusher assembly has been moved to said retracted position, and restraining means separate from said pusher bar for blocking said resilient projecting means of said barrier means to maintain said resilient projecting means out of the path of the pusher assembly during staple firing, said restraining means being movable by said pusher assembly during firing movement of the pusher assembly whereby the resilient projecting means of the barrier means is released to allow the resilient projecting means to move into the path of the pusher assembly to prevent firing movement of said pusher assembly 
     
     
        after movement thereof to said retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18.  A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 17 in which the pusher assembly moves said restraining means to release said barrier means during partial movement of said pusher assembly. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 18 in which the cartridge includes a plurality of movable driers for firing said staples and the drivers comprise the restraining means that preclude the barrier means from moving into position to prevent firing movement of the pusher assembly after it has been moved to a retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 17 in which the lockout mechanism prevents said pusher bars from passing more than one time through said longitudinal slots. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. A surgical stapler comprising a staple-filled cartridge having one or more slots, frame means for carrying said cartridge, a firing means including a pusher assembly movable relative to said frame means, said pusher assembly comprising one or more pusher bars respectively extending through said slots to fire said staples, a firing knob operatively connected to said pusher assembly for providing an initial longitudinal firing movement of the pusher assembly down a path to fire the staples, and in a direction opposite to a direction of said firing movement to a retracted position after at least a portion of the staples have been fired, a lockout mechanism for preventing a subsequent longitudinal firing movement of the pusher assembly after the pusher assembly has been moved to the retracted position, said lockout mechanism including barrier means for preventing movement of the pusher assembly from said retracted position, said barrier means comprising resilient projecting means normally biased toward a position to engage said pusher assembly to prevent movement of said pusher assembly relative to said resilient projecting means after said pusher assembly has been moved to said retracted position, and restraining means for blocking said resilient projecting means of said barrier means to maintain said resilient projecting means out of the path of the pusher assembly during staple firing, said restraining means being movable by said pusher assembly during said initial longitudinal firing movement of the pusher assembly whereby the resilient projecting means of the barrier means is released to allow the resilient projecting means to move into the path of the pusher assembly to prevent firing movement of said pusher assembly after movement thereof to said retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 21 in which the pusher assembly moves said restraining means to release said barrier means upon partial movement of the pusher bars through said slots. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 21 in which the pusher assembly moves said restraining means to release said barrier means upon full movement of the pusher bars through said slots. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. A surgical stapler comprising a frame, a cartridge filled with staples and positionable in operative association with said frame and having one or more slots, a firing assemblage including a pusher assembly movable relative to said frame, said pusher assembly comprising one or more pusher bars respectively extending through said slots to fire said staples, a member operatively connected to said pusher assembly for moving the pusher assembly in a firing direction down a path to fire the staples, and in a direction opposite to said firing direction to a retracted position after at least a portion of the staples have been fired, a lockout mechanism for preventing firing movement of the pusher assembly in the firing direction after the pusher assembly has been moved to the retracted position, said lockout mechanism including a barrier assemblage for preventing movement of the pusher assembly from said retracted position, said barrier assemblage comprising a resilient projecting member normally biased toward a position to engage said pusher assembly to prevent movement of said pusher assembly relative to said resilient projecting member after said pusher assembly has been moved to said retracted position, and a restraining structure separate from said pusher bar for blocking said barrier assemblage to maintain said resilient projecting member out of the path of the pusher assembly during staple firing, said restraining structure being movable by said pusher assembly during movement of the pusher assembly in the firing position whereby the barrier assemblage is released to allow the resilient projecting member to move into the path of the pusher assembly to prevent firing movement of said pusher assembly 
     
     
        after movement thereof to said retracted position. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25.  A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 24 in which the pusher assembly moves said restraining structure to release said barrier assemblage upon partial movement of the pusher bars through said slots. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. A surgical stapler as set forth in claim 24 in which the pusher assembly moves said restraining structure to release said barrier assemblage upon full movement of the pusher bars through said slots. .Iaddend.