Surgical stapling instruments and staple-forming anvils

Abstract

An anvil for a surgical end effector is disclosed. The anvil can include a staple-forming surface, wherein pockets are defined in the staple-forming surface. The pockets can be aligned with staples in a staple cartridge. Moreover, the pockets can define a perimeter in the staple-forming surface, and the perimeter of at least one pocket can be nested with the perimeter of at least one other adjacent pocket. For example, an extended landing zone of a first pocket can extend into a receiving peninsula of a second, adjacent pocket.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A powered surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
 a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;   an end effector extending from said shaft, wherein said end effector is configured to pivot with respect to said longitudinal axis, and wherein said end effector comprises:
 an anvil, comprising:
 a proximal end; 
 a distal end; 
 a tissue-compression surface; 
 a staple-forming pocket defined on said tissue compression surface, wherein said staple-forming pocket comprises:
 a proximal cup comprising a maximum proximal cup width; 
 a distal cup; 
 a neck extending between said proximal cup and said distal cup, wherein said neck comprises a maximum neck width, and wherein said proximal cup width is wider than said maximum neck width; and 
 a maximum pocket depth; and 
 
 an elongate slot extending from said proximal end toward said distal end, wherein said elongate slot comprises a ledge defined therein, wherein a distance between said tissue-compression surface and said ledge defines a ledge depth, and wherein said ledge depth is at least twice as deep as said maximum pocket depth; and 
 
 a channel; 
   a staple cartridge configured to be replaceably seated in said channel, wherein said staple cartridge comprises staples removably stored therein; and   a firing member, comprising:
 a first camming member configured to engage said ledge of said elongate slot of said anvil; and 
 a second camming member configured to engage said channel. 
   
     
     
         22 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 21 , wherein said staple-forming pocket comprises a pair of sidewalls and a pair of outer ends, wherein a distance between said sidewalls narrows from said outer ends toward said neck. 
     
     
         23 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 22 , wherein said distance between said sidewalls narrows linearly from said outer ends toward said neck. 
     
     
         24 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 21 , further comprising a second staple-forming pocket, wherein said staple-forming pocket comprises a first proximal end and a second distal end, wherein said first proximal end and said first distal end extend along a first axis, wherein said second staple-forming pocket comprises a second proximal end and a second distal end, wherein said second proximal end and said second distal end extend along a second axis, and wherein said first axis and said second axis are not parallel to one another. 
     
     
         25 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 21 , wherein one said staple from said plurality of staples comprises:
 a proximal leg aligned with said proximal cup, wherein said proximal cup is configured to direct said proximal leg toward said neck during a staple firing stroke; and   a distal leg aligned with said distal cup, and wherein said distal cup is configured to direct said distal leg toward said neck during said staple firing stroke.   
     
     
         26 . A powered surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
 a shaft defining a longitudinal axis;   an end effector extending from said shaft, wherein said end effector is configured to pivot with respect to said longitudinal axis, and wherein said end effector comprises:
 an anvil, comprising:
 a tissue-compression surface; 
 a staple-forming pocket defined in said tissue-compression surface, wherein said staple-forming pocket comprises:
 a proximal end comprising a first maximum width; 
 a distal end; 
 a neck extending between said proximal end and said distal end, wherein said neck comprises a second width, and wherein said maximum first width is greater than said second width; and 
 a maximum pocket depth; and 
 
 a longitudinal slot comprising a ledge, wherein a ledge depth is defined by a distance between said tissue-compression surface and said ledge, and wherein said ledge depth is at least twice as deep as said maximum pocket depth; and 
 
 a channel; and 
   a firing member comprising a camming member configured to engage said ledge of said anvil.   
     
     
         27 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 26 , further comprising a staple cartridge configured to be replaceably seated in said channel. 
     
     
         28 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 26 , wherein said firing member further comprises a second camming member configured to engage said channel. 
     
     
         29 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 26 , wherein said staple-forming pocket further comprises:
 a first sidewall and a second sidewall extending between said proximal end and said distal end, wherein a distance between said first sidewall and said second sidewall defines a sidewall width; and   a central portion, wherein said sidewall width narrows from said proximal end toward said central portion.   
     
     
         30 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 29 , wherein said sidewall width narrows linearly from said proximal end toward said central portion. 
     
     
         31 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 29 , wherein said sidewall width narrows from said distal end toward said central portion. 
     
     
         32 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 31 , wherein said sidewall width narrows linearly from said distal end toward said central portion. 
     
     
         33 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 26 , further comprising a second staple-forming pocket, wherein said proximal end and said distal end of said staple-forming pocket extend along a first axis, wherein said second staple-forming pocket comprises a second proximal end and a second distal end, wherein said second proximal end and said second distal end extend along a second axis, and wherein said first axis and said second axis are not parallel to one another. 
     
     
         34 . The powered surgical stapling instrument of  claim 26 , further comprising a second staple-forming pocket, wherein said first staple-forming pocket and said staple-forming pocket are arranged in a herringbone pattern. 
     
     
         35 . An end effector assembly for use with a powered surgical stapling instrument, wherein said end effector assembly comprises:
 an anvil, comprising:
 a tissue-compression surface; 
 a staple-forming pocket defined in said tissue-compression surface, wherein said staple-forming pocket comprises:
 a proximal cup comprising a first maximum width; 
 a distal cup; 
 a neck extending between said proximal cup and said distal cup, wherein said neck comprises a second width, and wherein said first maximum width is greater than said second width; and 
 a maximum pocket depth; and 
 
 a longitudinal slot comprising a ledge, wherein a ledge depth is defined by a distance between said ledge and said tissue-compression surface, and wherein said ledge depth is at least twice as deep as said maximum pocket depth; and 
   a channel; and   a firing member comprising a camming member configured to engage said ledge of said anvil during a staple firing stroke.   
     
     
         36 . The end effector assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising a staple cartridge configured to be replaceably seated in said channel. 
     
     
         37 . The end effector assembly of claim  15 , wherein said staple-forming pocket further comprises:
 a proximal end;   a distal end;   sidewalls extending between said proximal end and said distal end, wherein a distance between said sidewalls defines a sidewall width,   a center point, wherein said sidewall width narrows from said proximal end toward said center point, and wherein said sidewall width narrows from said distal end toward said center point.   
     
     
         38 . The end effector assembly of  claim 37 , wherein said sidewall width narrows linearly from said proximal end toward said center point, and wherein said sidewall width narrows linearly from said distal end toward said center point. 
     
     
         39 . The end effector assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising a second staple-forming pocket, wherein said staple-forming pocket comprises a first proximal end and a second distal end, wherein said first proximal end and said first distal end extend along a first axis, wherein said second staple-forming pocket comprises a second proximal end and a second distal end, wherein said second proximal end and said second distal end extend along a second axis, and wherein said first axis and said second axis are not parallel to one another. 
     
     
         40 . The end effector assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising a second staple-forming pocket, wherein said first staple-forming pocket and said staple-forming pocket are arranged in a herringbone pattern.