Bone stapler cartridge

Abstract

A bone stapler including a staple cartridge that, when removed from the stapler, insures that no staple can remain in the stapler, and is held in place by a rotatable locking member that in one position can pass through an opening in a wall of the stapler and can then be rotated to hold the cartridge in place.

We claim: 
     
       1. A bone stapler adapted for use with generally U-shaped staples each comprising a central portion and two generally parallel leg portions projecting generally in the same direction from opposite ends of its central portion and having distal ends, said stapler comprising: a housing having a passageway extending from an inlet opening to an outlet opening, said passageway being adapted to guide a single staple moved from the inlet to the outlet opening with the distal ends of its legs leading;   a driver having an end portion adapted to engage the central portion of said staple and being mounted on said housing for sliding movement between a load position with the driver spaced from the inlet opening to afford movement of one of the staples into the passageway, along said passageway with said end portion pushing the staple, to an eject position at which the end portion of the driver pushes the staple out said outlet opening;   drive means adapted to be manually activated for propelling said driver along said passageway from said load to said eject position to move said staple from said inlet to said outlet opening;   said housing including a support wall having an inner surface defining a socket adapted to receive said cartridge at said inlet opening, said support wall also having an outer surface, a through opening between said inner and outer surfaces having a first opening portion and a second portion on the side of said first opening portion;   a cartridge including a case comprising a guide wall defining an inner surface and side walls projecting generally normal to said inner surface, said side walls having opposed transverse openings at said inner surface and aligned with said passageway, said guide wall being received in said socket with said inner surface defining a portion of said passageway at said inlet opening so that said driver can be moved through said openings and along said inner surface between said load and eject positions; a stack of staples within said case; a follower on the side of said stack of staples opposite said passageway and movable within said case with said stack of staples; a spring for biasing said follower and said stack of staples toward said inner surface; and means adapted for releasably retaining said case in engagement with said housing comprising a locking member mounted on said guide wall for rotation about an axis generally normal to said inner surface, projecting from the side of said guide wall opposite said inner surface, having a spacing portion of a first maximum radius extending from said guide wall for a first predetermined distance about equal to the distance between the inner and outer surfaces of said support wall with said first maximum radius affording rotation of said spacing portion within the first portion of said opening, and having a locking portion with at least one lug projecting beyond said maximum radius at the distal end of said first portion, adapted to pass through the second portion of said opening in a release position of said locking member and having a surface adjacent said support wall in engagement with the second surface of said support wall at a position spaced from said release position to hold said cartridge on said housing.   
     
     
       2. A bone stapler according to claim 1 wherein said locking portion has two opposite lugs projecting beyond the maximum radius of said spacing portion, said support wall has two opposite second portions of said opening adapted to pass said lugs in a release position of said locking member. 
     
     
       3. A bone stapler according to claim 1 wherein said housing includes a cam surface around the second portion of said opening and intersecting the outer surface of said support wall to facilitate rotation of said locking member away from said release position with a portion of said locking member in said opening. 
     
     
       4. A bone stapler according to claim 2 wherein said housing includes cam surfaces around the second portions of said opening and intersecting the outer surface of said support wall to facilitate rotation of said locking member away from said release position with a portion of said locking member in said opening. 
     
     
       5. A cartridge adapted for use in a stapler for driving generally U-shaped staples each comprising a central portion and two generally parallel leg portions projecting generally in the same direction from opposite ends of its central portion and having distal ends, which stapler comprises a housing having a passageway extending from an inlet opening to an outlet opening, .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.passageway being adapted to guide a single staple moved from the inlet to the outlet opening with the distal ends of its legs leading; a driver having an end portion adapted to engage the central portion of .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.staple and being mounted on .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.housing for sliding movement between a load position with the driver spaced from the inlet opening to afford movement of one of the staples into the passageway, along .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.passageway with .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.end portion pushing the staple, to an eject position at which the end portion of the driver pushes the staple out .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.outlet opening; and drive means adapted to be manually activated for propelling .Iadd..[.said.]..Iaddend. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.driver along .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.passageway from .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.load to .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.eject position to move .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.staple from .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.inlet to .[.said .]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.outlet opening, .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.housing including a support wall having an inner surface defining a socket adapted to receive said cartridge at .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.inlet opening, .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.support wall also having an outer surface, a through opening between .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.inner and outer surfaces having a first opening portion and a second portion on one side of .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.first opening portion, said cartridge including: a case comprising a guide wall defining an inner surface and side walls projecting .[.generally.]. .Iadd.generally .Iaddend.normal to said inner surface, said side walls having opposed transverse openings at said inner surface, said guide wall being adapted to be received in .[.said.]. .Iadd.socket with said inner surface defining a portion of .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.passageway at .[.said.]..Iadd.the .Iaddend.inlet opening and said transverse openings aligned with .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.passageway so that .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.driver can be moved through the .Iadd.transverse .Iaddend.openings and along said inner surface between .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.load and eject positions;   a stack of staples within said case;   a follower on the side of said stack of staples opposite .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.passageway and movable within said case with said stack of staples;   a spring for biasing said follower and said stack of staples toward said inner surface;   and means adapted for releasably retaining said case in engagement with .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.housing comprising a locking member mounted on said guide wall for rotation about an axis generally normal to said inner surface, projecting from the side of said guide wall opposite said inner surface, having a spacing portion of a first maximum radius extending from said guide wall for a first predetermined distance about equal to the distance between the inner and outer surfaces of .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.support wall with said first maximum radius affording rotation of said spacing portion within the first portion of .[.said.]. .Iadd.the through .Iaddend.opening, and having a locking portion with at least one lug projecting beyond said maximum radius at the distal end of .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.first portion, adapted to pass through the second portion of .[.said.]. .Iadd.the through .Iaddend.opening in a release position of said locking member relative to said case and having a surface adjacent .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.support wall adapted to engage the second surface of .[.said.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.support wall at a position spaced from said release position of said locking member to hold said cartridge on .[.said.]. .Iadd.housing.   
     
     
       6. A cartridge according to claim 5 wherein said locking portion has two opposite lugs projecting beyond the maximum radius of said spacing portion. .Iadd. 
     
     
       7.  A cartridge adapted for use in a stapler for driving generally U-shaped staples each comprising a central portion and two generally parallel leg portions projecting generally in the same direction from opposite ends of its central portion and having distal ends, which stapler comprises a housing having a passageway extending from an inlet opening to an outlet opening, the passageway being adapted to guide a single staple moved from the inlet to the outlet opening with the distal ends of its legs leading; a driver having an end portion adapted to engage the central portion of the staple and being mounted on the housing for sliding movement between a load position with the driver spaced from the inlet opening to afford movement of one of the staples into the passageway, along the passageway with the end portion pushing the staple, to an eject position at which the end portion of the driver pushes the staple out the outlet opening; and drive means adapted to be manually activated for propelling the driver along the passageway from the load to the eject position to move the staple from the inlet to the outlet opening, the housing including a support wall having an inner surface defining a socket adapted to receive said cartridge at the inlet opening, the support wall also having an outer surface and a through opening between the inner and outer surfaces, said cartridge including: a case comprising a guide wall defining an inner surface and side walls projecting generally normal to said inner surface, said side walls having opposed transverse openings at said inner surface, said guide wall being adapted to be received in the socket with said inner surface defining a portion of the passageway at the inlet opening and said transverse openings aligned with the passageway so that the driver can be moved through said transverse openings and along said inner surface between the load and eject positions; a stack of staples within said case;     a follower on the side of said stack of staples opposite said inner surface and movable within said case with said stack of staples;   a spring for biasing said follower and said stack of staples toward said inner surface; and   retaining means adapted for releasably retaining said case in engagement with the housing, said retaining means comprising a spacing portion having an axis, having an end mounted on said case, projecting axially and generally centrally away from said case on the side of said guide wall opposite said inner surface at generally a right angle to said inner surface for a first predetermined distance about equal to the distance between the inner and outer surfaces of the support wall, and being adapted to be positioned within the through opening; a locking portion projecting axially beyond said spacing portion and having an engagement surface adjacent said guide wall adapted to engage the second surface of the support wall; and means adapted for releasably positioning said spacing portion in the through opening and said engagement surface on said locking portion along the outer surface of the support wall to hold said cartridge on the housing of the stapler. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       8.  A cartridge according to claim 7 including means for mounting said locking portion for rotational movement relative to said case to provide a portion of said means adapted for releasably positioning said engagement surface on said locking portion along the outer surface of the support wall. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. A stapler adapted for use with generally U-shaped staples each comprising a central portion and two generally parallel leg portions projecting generally in the same direction from opposite ends of its central portion and having distal ends, said stapler comprising: a housing having a passageway extending from an inlet opening to an outlet opening, said passageway being adapted to guide a single staple moved from the inlet to the outlet opening with the distal ends of its legs leading;   a driver having an end portion adapted to engage the central portion of said staple and being mounted on said housing for sliding movement between a load position with the driver spaced from the inlet opening to afford movement of one of the staples into the passageway, along said passageway with said end portion pushing the staple, to an eject position at which the end portion of the driver pushes the staple out said outlet opening;   drive means adapted to be manually activated for propelling said driver along said passageway from said load to said eject position to move said staple from said inlet to said outlet opening;   said housing including a support wall having an inner surface defining a socket at said inlet opening, said support wall also having an outer surface, and a through opening between said inner and outer surfaces;   a cartridge including a case comprising a guide wall defining an inner surface and side walls projecting generally normal to said inner surface, said side walls having opposed transverse openings at said inner surface and aligned with said passageway, said guide wall being received in said socket with said inner surface defining a portion of said passageway at said inlet opening so that said driver can be moved through said openings and along said inner surface between said load and eject positions; a stack of staples within said case; a follower on the side of said stack of staples opposite said inner surface and movable within said case with said stack of staples; a spring for biasing said follower and said stack of staples toward said inner surface; and retaining means for releasably retaining said case in engagement with said housing, said retaining means comprising a spacing portion having an axis, having an end mounted on said case, projecting axially and generally centrally away from said case on the side of said guide wall opposite said inner surface at generally a right angle to said inner surface for a first predetermined distance about equal to the distance between said inner and outer surfaces of said support wall, and being positioned within said opening; a locking portion projecting axially beyond said spacing portion and having an engagement surface adjacent said guide wall engaging said second surface of said support wall; and means for releasing engagement of said engagement surface on said locking portion with said outer surface of said support wall to afford removal of said cartridge from said housing. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.10.  A stapler according to claim 9 including means for mounting said locking portion for rotational movement relative to said case to provide a portion of said means for releasing engagement of said engagement surface on said locking portion with said outer surface of said support wall.