Surgical instrument assemblies with instrument locking features

Abstract

A surgical stapling instrument including a first jaw configured to removably support a surgical staple cartridge therein and a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw between an open position and a closed position. A firing member is configured to axially move between a starting and ending position upon application of a firing motion thereto. A firing member lockout interfaces with ae camming assembly in the surgical staple cartridge to lockout the firing member unless the camming assembly is in an unfired position. A cartridge verification member is configured to move the camming assembly out of the unfired position to an intermediate position unless the cartridge verification member detects a verification feature on the surgical staple cartridge.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:
 a surgical end effector, comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw supported relative to said first jaw for movement in a closure direction between an open position and a closed position; 
 a firing member movable between a beginning position and an ending position in said surgical end effector; 
 a firing member lock movable between a locked position in which said firing member lock retains said firing member in said beginning position and an unlocked position in which said firing member is movable between said beginning position and said ending position; and 
 a closure lock movable between a blocking position in which said closure lock blocks said second jaw from moving from said open position to said closed position and an unblocking position in which said second jaw is movable from said open position to said closed position, and wherein said surgical instrument assembly further comprises: 
   a surgical cartridge comprising:
 a first unlocking feature configured to laterally move said closure lock from said blocking position to said unblocking position in an unlocking direction that is transverse to the closure direction when said surgical cartridge is operably seated in said first jaw; and 
 a second unlocking feature movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, wherein said second unlocking feature is configured to move said firing member lock from said locked position to said unlocked position when said second unlocking feature is in said unactuated position and said surgical cartridge is seated in said first jaw. 
   
     
     
         23 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 22 , wherein said second jaw is supported relative to said first jaw for movement about a jaw axis between said open position and said closed position, and wherein said closure lock is laterally movable between said blocking position and said unblocking position in a lateral direction that is parallel to said jaw axis. 
     
     
         24 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 22 , wherein said closure lock is further configured to retain said firing member in said beginning position when said closure lock is in said blocking position. 
     
     
         25 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said closure lock is further configured to retain said firing member in said beginning position when said closure lock is in said blocking position. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 25 , wherein said second jaw comprises a second jaw underside, and wherein a blocking portion of said closure lock is positioned in confronting relationship relative to said second jaw underside when said closure lock is in said blocking position. 
     
     
         27 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said blocking portion is located distal to said jaw axis when said closure lock is in said blocking position. 
     
     
         28 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 22 , further comprising a shaft assembly coupled to said first jaw, wherein said shaft assembly defines a shaft axis, wherein said second jaw is supported relative to said first jaw for movement about a jaw axis between said open position and said closed position, wherein said jaw axis is transverse to said shaft axis, wherein said firing member lock comprises a lock latch movably coupled to said firing member for pivotal movement relative thereto about a latch axis between said locked position and said unlocked position, and wherein said latch axis is transverse to said shaft axis. 
     
     
         29 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 22 , wherein said surgical cartridge comprises a surgical staple cartridge. 
     
     
         30 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 28 , wherein said surgical cartridge comprises a surgical staple cartridge. 
     
     
         31 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 30 , wherein said surgical staple cartridge comprises:
 a cartridge body configured to be operably seated in said first jaw, wherein said cartridge body comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said first unlocking feature is located on said proximal end; and   a plurality of surgical staples operably stored in said cartridge body, and wherein said second unlocking feature comprises a camming member movably supported in said cartridge body and configured to eject said surgical staples from said cartridge body when said camming member is moved from said unactuated position to said actuated position.   
     
     
         32 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 31 , wherein when said camming assembly is in said unactuated position, said camming assembly pivots said lock latch from said locked position to said unlocked position. 
     
     
         33 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 31 , wherein said first unlocking feature protrudes axially from said proximal end of said cartridge body. 
     
     
         34 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 31 , wherein said surgical staple cartridge further comprises a pan attached to said cartridge body, and wherein said first unlocking feature is formed in said pan. 
     
     
         35 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 34 , wherein said cartridge body is formed from a first material and wherein said pan is formed from a second material that differs from said first material. 
     
     
         36 . A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:
 a surgical end effector, comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw supported relative to said first jaw for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein said second jaw comprises a second jaw underside; 
 a firing member movable between a beginning position and an ending position in said surgical end effector; 
 a firing member lock laterally movable between a locked position in which said firing member lock retains said firing member in said beginning position and an unlocked position in which said firing member is movable between said beginning position and said ending position; and 
 a closure lock movable between a blocking position in which said closure lock confronts said second jaw underside to prevent said second jaw from being movable from said open position to said closed position and an unblocking position in which said second jaw is permitted to move from said open position to said closed position, and wherein said surgical instrument assembly further comprises: 
   a surgical cartridge comprising:
 a first unlocking feature configured to axially move said closure lock from said blocking position to said unblocking position when said surgical cartridge is operably seated in said first jaw; and 
 a second unlocking feature configured to laterally move said firing member lock from said locked position to said unlocked position when said surgical cartridge is seated in said first jaw. 
   
     
     
         37 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 36 , wherein said second jaw is pivotal about a jaw axis between said open position and said closed position, and wherein when in said blocking position, said closure lock confronts said second jaw underside at a location that is distal to said jaw axis. 
     
     
         38 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 36 , wherein said firing member comprises a first lateral side and a second lateral side, wherein said closure lock is located adjacent said first lateral side, and wherein said firing member lock is configured to releasably engage said second lateral side. 
     
     
         39 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 36 , further comprising a shaft assembly coupled to said first jaw, wherein said shaft assembly defines a shaft axis, wherein said second jaw is supported relative to said first jaw for movement between said open position and said closed position about a jaw axis that is transverse to said shaft axis, and wherein said firing member lock is laterally movable between said locked position and said unlocked position in a lateral direction that is parallel to said jaw axis. 
     
     
         40 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 36 , further comprising another firing member lock movable between another locked position in which said another firing member lock retains said firing member in said beginning position and an another unlocked position, wherein said surgical cartridge comprises a third unlocking feature movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position within said surgical cartridge, wherein said third unlocking feature is configured to move said another firing member lock from said another locked position to said another unlocked position when said third unlocking feature is in said unactuated position and said surgical cartridge is seated in said first jaw. 
     
     
         41 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 40 , wherein said surgical cartridge comprises a surgical staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body configured to be operably seated in said first jaw, wherein said cartridge body comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said first unlocking feature and said second unlocking feature are each located on said proximal end. 
     
     
         42 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 41 , wherein said surgical staple cartridge comprises:
 an elongate slot configured to accommodate axial passage of said firing member between said beginning position and said ending position, wherein said cartridge slot defines a cartridge axis; and   a plurality of surgical staples operably stored in said cartridge body, and wherein said third unlocking feature comprises a camming member movably supported in said cartridge body and configured to eject said surgical staples from said cartridge body when said camming member is moved from said unactuated position to said actuated position.   
     
     
         43 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 42 , wherein said first unlocking feature protrudes from said proximal end of said cartridge body on a first side of said cartridge axis, and wherein said second unlocking feature protrudes from said proximal end of said cartridge body on a second side of said cartridge axis. 
     
     
         44 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 43 , further comprising a shaft assembly coupled to said first jaw, wherein said shaft assembly defines a shaft axis, wherein said another firing member lock comprises a lock latch movably coupled to said firing member for pivotal movement relative thereto about a latch axis between said another locked position and said another unlocked position, and wherein said latch axis is transverse to said shaft axis. 
     
     
         45 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 44 , wherein when said camming assembly is in said unactuated position, said camming assembly pivots said lock latch from said another locked position to said another unlocked position relative to said firing member. 
     
     
         46 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 43 , wherein said surgical staple cartridge further comprises a pan attached to said cartridge body, and wherein said first unlocking feature is formed in said pan and said second unlocking feature is formed in said pan. 
     
     
         47 . A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:
 a surgical end effector, comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw supported relative to said first jaw for movement between an open position and a closed position; 
 a firing member movable between a beginning position and an ending position in said surgical end effector; 
 a closure member axially movable between a first axial position corresponding to said open position and a second axial position in which a distal end of said closure member contacts said second jaw to move said second jaw to said closed position; 
 a firing member lock movable between a locked position in which said firing member lock retains said firing member in said beginning position and an unlocked position in which said firing member is movable between said beginning position and said ending position; and 
 a closure lock movable between a blocking position in which said closure lock confronts said distal end of said closure member to block distal movement of said closure member from said first axial position to said second axial position and an unblocking position in which said closure member is permitted to move from said first axial position to said second axial position, and wherein said surgical instrument assembly further comprises: 
   a surgical cartridge comprising:
 a first unlocking feature configured to pivot said closure lock from said blocking position to said unblocking position when said surgical cartridge is operably seated in said first jaw; and 
 a second unlocking feature configured to move said firing member lock from said locked position to said unlocked position when said surgical cartridge is operably seated in said first jaw. 
   
     
     
         48 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 47 , wherein said second jaw is movable between said open position and said closed position about a jaw axis, and wherein said second unlocking feature is configured to laterally move said firing member lock in a lateral direction that is parallel to said jaw axis. 
     
     
         49 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 48 , wherein said surgical cartridge comprises a cartridge body configured to be operably seated in said first jaw, wherein said cartridge body comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said first unlocking feature and said second unlocking feature are each located on said proximal end. 
     
     
         50 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 49 , wherein said surgical staple cartridge comprises an elongate slot configured to accommodate axial passage of said firing member between said beginning position and said ending position, wherein said cartridge slot defines a cartridge axis, wherein said first unlocking feature protrudes from said proximal end of said cartridge body on a first side of said cartridge axis, and wherein said second unlocking feature protrudes from said proximal end of said cartridge body on a second side of said cartridge axis. 
     
     
         51 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 50 , further comprising another firing member lock movable between another locked position in which said another firing member lock retains said firing member in said beginning position and an another unlocked position, wherein said surgical cartridge comprises a third unlocking feature movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position within said surgical cartridge, and wherein said third unlocking feature is configured to move said another firing lock from said another locked position to said another unlocked position when said third unlocking feature is in said unactuated position and said surgical cartridge is seated in said first jaw. 
     
     
         52 . The surgical instrument of  claim 51 , wherein said surgical cartridge further comprises a plurality of surgical staples operably stored in said cartridge body, and wherein said third unlocking feature comprises a camming member movably supported in said cartridge body and configured to eject said surgical staples from said cartridge body when said camming member is moved from said unactuated position to said actuated position. 
     
     
         53 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 52 , further comprising a shaft assembly coupled to said first jaw, wherein said shaft assembly defines a shaft axis, wherein said another firing member lock comprises a lock latch movably coupled to said firing member for pivotal movement relative thereto about a latch axis between said another locked position and said another unlocked position, and wherein said latch axis is transverse to said shaft axis. 
     
     
         54 . The surgical instrument assembly of  claim 53 , wherein when said camming assembly is in said unactuated position, said camming assembly pivots said lock latch from said another locked position to said another unlocked position relative to said firing member.