Systems and methods for forming pockets in an anvil of a surgical stapler - Patents.com

Abstract

A method for forming a surgical stapler anvil is provided, comprising: a first punch having a first plurality of protrusions; and an opposing second punch having a second plurality of protrusions. A workpiece having first and second sides is positioned between the first punch and the second punch. The first side is contacted by the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the first side with the first plurality of protrusions and displacing material on the first side toward the second side. The second side is contacted by the second punch, thereby plastically deforming the second side and displacing material on the second side toward the first side. A plurality of pockets are formed in the first side through contact between the first punch and the first side and contact between the second punch and the second side. Each pocket is configured to deform a leg of a surgical staple.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] In some surgical procedures, such as gastrointestinal anastomosis, it may be desirable to clamp one or more layers of tissue, cut the clamped layers, and simultaneously drive staples through the layers to substantially seal the cut layers of tissue together near their cut ends. One such instrument that may be used in such procedures is a linear surgical stapler, also referred to as a "linear cutter." Linear surgical staplers generally include a first half (referred to as the "cartridge half" or "reloading half") having a distal jaw configured to support a staple cartridge (or "reloading portion") and a second half (referred to as the "anvil half") having a distal jaw supporting an anvil surface having staple-forming features. The stapler further includes a movable clamping lever configured to releasably clamp the stapler halves together. The stapler halves are configured to pivot relative to one another to receive and clamp tissue between the two distal jaws when the clamping lever is closed. The stapler firing assembly is configured to operate to cut the clamped layers and simultaneously drive staples through the tissue on one side of the cut line. After firing the stapler, the clamp lever can be released and the stapler halves can be separated to release the cut and stapled tissue.

[0002] While many different types of surgical stapling instruments and related components have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor(s) has made or used the invention as set forth in the appended claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0003] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary linear surgical stapler showing the cartridge and anvil halves of the stapler coupled together with the clamp lever of the cartridge half in a fully closed position. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the linear surgical stapler of FIG. 1; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an anvil plate of the linear surgical stapler of FIG. 1; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the anvil plate of FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an exemplary anvil pocket coining assembly including an upper pocket-forming punch, an embossing lower punch, and a workpiece positioned between the upper and lower punches. FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic plan view of the lower surface of the upper pocket-forming punch of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 6 is a schematic plan view of the upper surface of the lower embossing punch of FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the top surface of another exemplary lower embossing punch configured for use in the anvil pocket coining assembly of FIG. 5. [Figure 9] 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary anvil of another surgical stapler type having anvil pockets formed by a coining method similar to that shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 10] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary anvil of another surgical stapler type having pockets formed by a coining method similar to that shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 11] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary anvil assembly of another surgical stapler type, showing an anvil plate having pockets formed by a coining method similar to that shown in FIG. 5 . [Figure 12] 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of an exemplary anvil assembly of another surgical stapler type, showing an anvil plate having pockets formed by a coining method similar to that shown in FIG. 5.

[0004] The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any manner, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be embodied in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise configurations shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The following description of specific examples of the present invention should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. Other examples, features, aspects, embodiments, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, which is by way of example only one of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be appreciated, the present invention is capable of other different and obvious aspects, all without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

[0006] For clarity of this disclosure, the terms "proximal" and "distal" are defined herein relative to a surgeon or other operator grasping a surgical instrument having a distal surgical end effector. The term "proximal" refers to the location of elements disposed closer to the surgeon, and the term "distal" refers to the location of elements disposed closer to the surgical end effector of the surgical instrument and farther from the surgeon. Also, to the extent spatial terms such as "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "vertical," and "horizontal" are used herein with reference to the drawings, it will be understood that such terms are used for illustrative descriptive purposes only and are not intended to be limiting or absolute. In that regard, it will be understood that surgical instruments such as those disclosed herein may be used in a variety of orientations and positions, not limited to those shown and described herein.

[0007] As used herein, the terms "about" and "approximately" of any numerical value or range indicate a suitable dimensional tolerance that allows the portion or collection of components to function for its intended purpose as described herein.

[0008] I. Exemplary Linear Surgical Stapler 1-2 illustrate an exemplary linear surgical stapler (10) (also referred to as a "linear cutter") suitable for use in various cutting and stapling procedures, such as gastrointestinal anastomosis procedures. The linear surgical stapler (10) includes a cartridge half (12) (also referred to as a "reloading half") and an anvil half (14) configured to releasably couple together to clamp tissue therebetween for simultaneous cutting and stapling of the clamped tissue.

[0009] The cartridge half (12) of the linear surgical stapler (10) includes an elongated cartridge channel (16) having a proximal frame portion (18) and a distal jaw portion (20). The proximal frame portion (18) slidably retains a firing assembly (22), includes a proximal retention assembly (24) configured to releasably retain the firing assembly (22), and a proximal linkage pin (56) of the anvil half (14). The distal jaw portion (20) is configured to receive a staple cartridge (40) (or "reloader") containing a plurality of staples (not shown).

[0010] Cartridge half 12 further includes a clamp lever 26 (also referred to as a "latch lever") pivotally coupled to cartridge channel 16 and having a pair of opposing jaws 28 extending distally. Each jaw 28 includes a slot 30 having a closed proximal end and an open distal end configured to receive a distal latch pin 58 of anvil half 14, as described below. Clamp lever 26 is operable to pivot relative to cartridge channel 16 from an open position (see FIG. 2) to a closed position (see FIG. 1) to capture latch pin 58 within clamp lever jaw slot 30 to clamp tissue between staple cartridge 40 and an anvil plate 62 of anvil half 14, thereby clamping anvil half 14 to cartridge half 12. In this modification, the clamp lever shroud (32) is fixed to the outward-facing side of the clamp lever (26).

[0011] The anvil half (14) of the linear surgical stapler (10) includes an elongated anvil channel (50) having a proximal frame portion (52) and a distal jaw portion (54). The proximal frame portion (52) includes a proximal connecting pin (56) at its proximal end and a distal latch pin (58) at its distal end. The proximal frame portion (52) is configured to be received by the proximal frame portion (18) of the cartridge channel (16) when the stapler halves (12, 14) are connected together, and the outwardly facing side of the proximal frame portion (52) is mated with an anvil shroud (60), in this example. The distal jaw portion (54) of the anvil channel (50) supports a distal tip insert (61) and an anvil plate (62) configured to receive and deform staples fired by the staple cartridge (40). The distal tip insert 61 may be coupled to the distal jaw portion 54 in a variety of suitable ways, such as by a distal latch pin 58 or heat staking. The anvil plate 62 may be formed separately from the distal jaw portion 54 and then secured to the distal jaw portion 54. For example, the anvil plate 62 may be welded directly to a side flange of the distal jaw portion 54, or alternatively, the anvil plate 62 may be heat staked to a plastic component (not shown) housed within the distal jaw portion 54. In view of the teachings herein, various other methods of securing the anvil plate 62 to the distal jaw portion 54 will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In other variations, the anvil plate (62) may be integrally formed with and as a part of the distal jaw portion (54), such that the anvil plate (62) and the distal jaw portion (54) are formed as a single, integral part.

[0012] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the anvil plate (62) includes an anvil surface (64) and an elongated knife slot (66) extending longitudinally through the anvil surface (64) from the proximal end of the anvil plate (62) to a position just proximal to the distal end of the anvil plate (62). The knife slot (66) is configured to slidably receive a knife member (not shown) of the firing assembly (22) when the firing assembly (22) is distally actuated to fire the stapler (10). A jaw alignment dimple (68) is formed in the anvil surface (64) just distal to and longitudinally aligned with the distal end of the knife slot (66). The jaw alignment dimple (68) is configured to receive a corresponding protrusion formed on the distal end of the deck surface of the staple cartridge (40) when the staple halves (12, 14) are clamped together. In this manner, jaw alignment dimples (68) are configured to encourage the distal end of staple cartridge (40) and anvil plate (62) to be laterally aligned with one another to define an appropriately sized lateral tissue gap between the distal end of staple cartridge (40) and anvil plate (62) in the clamped state, thereby encouraging a properly formed staple height during firing. Jaw alignment dimples (68) may be formed in a variety of suitable shapes, such as, for example, various elongated and / or irregular shapes.

[0013] The anvil plate (62) further includes a plurality of staple-forming pockets (70) arranged in pairs on the anvil surface (64) on either side of the knife slot (66). Each staple-forming pocket (70) is configured to receive and deform an individual leg of a staple (not shown) fired by the staple cartridge (40) when the stapler (10) is fired. Thus, the staple-forming pockets (70) cooperate to form the fired staples within tissue clamped between the staple cartridge (40) and the anvil plate (62). In this variation, the anvil plate (62) includes two linear rows of staple-forming pockets (70) on either side of the knife slot (66), although it will be understood that the anvil plate (62) may include various other configurations of staple pockets (70) in other variations.

[0014] As best shown in FIG. 4, the staple-forming pockets (70) are arranged in longitudinally adjacent pairs, each pair configured to receive and deform the legs of an individual staple, thereby causing the staple to deform into a formed shape upon distal actuation of the firing assembly (22). In this variation, each staple pocket (70) is shaped to provide a resulting staple having a three-dimensional formed shape in which the crown and each bent leg of the formed staple lie in different planes, as disclosed in more detail, for example, in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 537,005, filed August 9, 2019, entitled "Linear Surgical Stapler," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In other variations, the pockets (70) may alternatively be shaped to provide a resulting staple having a B-shape in which the crown and each bent leg of the formed staple lie in the same plane, as shown, for example, in FIG. 11, described below.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 4 , each individual pocket (70) of this variation includes an entrance end (72) having a larger first width and an exit end (74) having a smaller second width, such that the pocket (70) has a generally right-angled triangular shape. An intermediate portion of each pocket (70) located between the entrance end (72) and the exit end (74) includes an angled sidewall (76) facing toward the entrance end (72) and longitudinally adjacent the exit end (74) of the adjacent longitudinal pair of pockets (70). Each pocket (70) further includes a concave base surface (78) extending between the entrance end (72) and the exit end (74) such that the pocket (70) has a depth that varies along its length. The entrance end (72) is configured to receive and guide an unformed staple leg longitudinally along the concave base surface (78) and toward the angled sidewall (76) where it will be deformed. The exit end (74) is configured to guide the deformed staple legs toward the staple cartridge (40) and into the clamped tissue.

[0016] Each pair of pockets 70 exhibits mirror symmetry with respect to one another, such that the inlet ends 72 of the pair are also aligned longitudinally opposite one another, and the outlet ends 74 of the pair are longitudinally adjacent but laterally offset from one another. Furthermore, each pocket 70 of the lateral inner row of pockets 70 located adjacent a knife slot 66 is separated from the laterally adjacent pocket 70 in the corresponding outer row of pockets 70 by a longitudinal wall 80. In this example, the longitudinal wall 80 may have a thickness of about 0.010 inches or less in a direction transverse to the path of the knife slot 66.

[0017] In use, patient tissue to be stapled and severed is placed between the staple cartridge 40 of the cartridge half 16 and the anvil plate 62 of the anvil half 14. Either before or after positioning patient tissue between the stapler halves 12, 14, the proximal ends of the stapler halves 12, 14 are releasably coupled together by engaging the proximal connecting pin 56 of the anvil half 14 with the proximal retaining assembly 24 of the cartridge half 16. The stapler halves 12, 14 are then approximated at their distal ends, directing the distal latch pin 58 of the anvil half 14 into the clamp lever jaw slot 30 of the cartridge half 16. Clamp lever (26) is then rotated to the closed position seen in FIG. 1 to clamp anvil half (14) against cartridge half (16), thereby clamping patient tissue between staple cartridge (40) and anvil plate (62). Firing assembly (22) is then actuated distally by the user to drive staples contained within staple cartridge (40) through the clamped tissue and against anvil plate (62), simultaneously driving a knife (not shown) distally along staple cartridge (40) and anvil plate (62), thereby severing the clamped tissue. Following completion of this distal firing stroke, firing assembly (22) is retracted proximally and clamp lever (26) is again opened, thereby releasing the stapled and severed tissue and allowing separation of stapler halves (12, 14).

[0018] The linear surgical stapler (10) may further be configured and operable in accordance with any of the teachings of the references incorporated by reference above, as well as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020 / 0046350, published February 13, 2020, entitled "Firing System for Linear Surgical Stapler"; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020 / 0046351, published February 13, 2020, entitled "Decoupling Mechanism for Linear Surgical Stapler"; and / or U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020 / 0046353, published February 13, 2020, entitled "Clamping Assembly for Linear Surgical Stapler," the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0019] II. Exemplary Methods of Forming the Anvil Pocket The anvil plate 62 of the surgical stapler 10 described above may be formed from a surgical-grade metal such as steel, and the staple-forming pockets 70 may be formed in the anvil surface 64 using one or more suitable manufacturing methods. One such method, known as coining, is a form of precision stamping in which a workpiece is struck by a punch with sufficient force to induce plastic flow of material into the workpiece surface. The plastic flow reduces the surface grain size and hardens the surface of the workpiece, while the material deeper within the workpiece retains its toughness and ductility. In this context, the anvil plate 62 is initially provided in the form of a flat, elongated, rectangular metal blank that is supported on a stationary structure. A coining punch having a plurality of suitably formed protrusions is then driven against the anvil surface 64 with sufficient force to form (i.e., "coin") the anvil pockets 70.

[0020] In some instances, the use of a single punch to form anvil pockets (70) with an acceptable degree of precision may require stamping forces (also referred to as "tonnage") that result in tool stresses on the punch, resulting in an unacceptably short lifespan of the punch and associated tooling. The exemplary coining method described below utilizes first and second punches that cooperate to form anvil pockets (70) in anvil surface (64) with excellent precision while minimizing the required stamping forces and resulting tool stresses, thereby extending tooling life. It will be understood that the exemplary method, as described below, may be used to form anvil pockets for various types of stapling mechanisms, some of which are illustrated in the drawings.

[0021] A. Exemplary coining assembly with upper pocket-forming punch and lower embossing punch 5 schematically illustrates an exemplary coining assembly 100 for forming the pocket 70 in the anvil plate 62. The coining assembly 100 of this variation includes an upper pocket-forming punch 102 and a lower embossing punch 104. The upper punch 102 and the lower punch 104 are configured to contact the top surface 108 and the bottom surface 110, respectively, of the anvil blank 106 positioned between them to form the pocket 70 in the top surface 108 of the anvil blank 106. In this variation, the upper punch 102 and the lower punch 104 are configured to simultaneously strike (i.e., impact) the top surface 108 and the bottom surface 110, respectively, of the anvil blank 106, thereby plastically deforming them. In other variations, the upper punch (102) and the lower punch (104) may be configured to sequentially plastically deform their respective top and bottom surfaces (108, 110).

[0022] The anvil blank (106) in this example is in the form of a flat rectangular metal plate, which may have already undergone one or more preliminary machining steps, such as forming (e.g., by stamping) knife slots (66) and / or jaw alignment dimples (68) (see FIGS. 3-4). In some variations, the jaw alignment dimples (68) may be formed simultaneously with the pockets (70) via the coining assembly (100) in a manner described below. In other variations, the anvil blank (106) may alternatively be shaped, such as curved, rectangular, or circular, for application with various other types of surgical stapler anvils, as described in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 9-12.

[0023] In this variation, the lower punch 104 is fixed in a stationary position and the upper punch 102 is movable relative to the lower punch 104 to strike the upper surface 108 of the anvil blank 106 to form the pocket 70 through plastic deformation of the upper surface 108, while the bottom surface 110 of the anvil blank 106 is supported and plastically deformed by the lower punch 104. In other variations, the anvil blank 106 may be supported by the lower punch 104 or a separate structure (not shown), and both the upper punch 102 and the lower punch 104 may be movable relative to the anvil blank 106, simultaneously or sequentially, to plastically deform the top and bottom surfaces 108, 110. For example, in one such exemplary variation, the anvil blank (106) may rest on the lower punch (106) which remains stationary while the upper punch (102) completes its downward stroke toward the lower punch (106), thereby striking the upper surface (108) of the anvil blank (106). Following the initial impact of the upper surface (108) with the upper punch (102), the upper punch (102) may be maintained in contact with the upper surface (108) (e.g., by being held stationary or by actuating the upper surface (108) further downward in a direction toward the lower punch (104)), while the lower punch (104) is actuated upward to its bottom surface (110) in a direction toward the upper punch (102).

[0024] In yet other variations, not shown, the upper punch 102 and the lower punch 104 may be reoriented so that the anvil blank 106 is contacted and coined by the punches 102, 104 in a non-horizontal plane, such as a vertical plane. For example, the punches 102, 104 may be movable relative to one another along a horizontal plane, such that the upper punch 102 acts as a first side punch and the lower punch 104 acts as a second side punch. Furthermore, it will be understood that the punch actuation of the coining assembly 100 may be powered by a variety of suitable means, such as, for example, pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric motors, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings herein.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 6 , the upper pocket-forming punch 102 of the coining assembly 100 includes a base surface 112 and a plurality of pocket-forming projections 114 formed on the base surface 112. The pocket-forming projections 114 extend toward the lower punch 104 and are configured to directly contact and plastically deform the upper surface 108 of the anvil blank 106. In this variation, the upper punch projections 114 are suitably shaped and positioned to form the anvil pockets 70 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 above. In particular, each upper punch projection 114 has the same shape and includes a first end 116 corresponding to the entrance end 72 of the respective pocket 70 and having a larger first width, and a second end 118 corresponding to the exit end 74 of the respective pocket 70 and having a smaller second width. Further, each upper punch projection 114 has an elongated shape having a length extending parallel to the length of the anvil blank 106. The outermost surface 120 of each upper punch projection 114 may be convexly contoured to form the concave base surface 78 of each anvil pocket 70. Thus, each anvil pocket 70 is ultimately formed with a shape complementary to the shape of each upper punch projection 114, such that each anvil pocket 70 is shaped as an inverse of each upper punch projection 114. In particular, each anvil pocket 70 is formed with a generally concave shape complementary to the generally convex shape of each upper punch projection 114.

[0026] The upper punch projections 114 are arranged in longitudinally adjacent pairs that are mirror images of each other such that each pair of projections 114 is configured to plastically deform to form a pair of pockets 70 when the upper punch 102 strikes the upper surface 108 of the anvil blank 106. Furthermore, the upper punch projections 114 in this example are arranged in four adjacent rows, with recesses 122 extending longitudinally through the base surface 112 between the two innermost rows of projections 114 and occupying the knife slots 66 of the anvil plate 62. In some variations, the longitudinal recesses 122 may be omitted from the upper punch 102. It will be appreciated that the upper punch 102 may further comprise two or more components, each having its own base surface 112 and each having one or more rows of upper punch projections 114.

[0027] 7, the lower embossing punch (104) of the coining assembly (100) includes a base surface (124), a plurality of first embossing protrusions (126) formed on the base surface (124), and a plurality of second embossing protrusions (128) formed on the base surface (124) spaced from the first embossing protrusions (126). The embossing protrusions (126, 128) extend toward the upper punch (102) and are configured to directly contact and plastically deform the bottom surface (110) of the anvil blank (106), while the upper punch protrusions (114) plastically deform the top surface (108), thereby facilitating the accurate formation of the anvil pockets (70). In this example, the first embossing protrusion (126) is shown in the form of a convexly rounded protrusion having a first largest dimension (e.g., diameter) transverse to the length of the lower punch (104). The second embossing protrusion (128) is shown in the form of a convexly rounded protrusion having a second, smaller largest dimension (e.g., diameter) transverse to the length of the lower punch (104). Although the embossing protrusions (126, 128) are shown in FIG. 7 as having a circular profile in the plane defined by the base surface (124), it will be understood that the embossing protrusions (126, 128) may, in other variations, be formed in a variety of other suitable shapes, such as various elongated shapes or any irregular shape.

[0028] As shown in Figure 7, the first embossing protrusions (126) of this variation are arranged on the base surface (124) of the lower punch (104) in two longitudinal rows on each side of a recess (130) that extends longitudinally along the lower punch (104). In some variations, the longitudinal recess (130) may be omitted from the lower punch (104). The first embossing protrusions (126) of each row are longitudinally offset from each of the first embossing protrusions (126) of the immediately adjacent row to result in a longitudinal zigzag-like pattern of first embossing protrusions (126) on each side of the longitudinal recess (130), as shown in Figure 7. Furthermore, the second embossing protrusions (128) of this variation are arranged on the base surface (124) in two longitudinal rows on each side of the longitudinal recess (130), such that two rows of first embossing protrusions (126) on each side of the longitudinal recess (130) are laterally offset from and disposed between the corresponding two rows of second embossing protrusions (128). In other words, each row of second embossing protrusions (128) extends longitudinally along the respective outermost edge of the lower punch (104) or along the respective edge of the longitudinal recess (122). The second embossing protrusions (128) of each row are longitudinally offset from each of the second embossing protrusions (128) of the other row located on the same side of the longitudinal recess (130). 7, the first and second embossed protrusions (126, 128) are positioned relative to one another such that each first embossed protrusion (126) is longitudinally aligned with a respective second embossed protrusion (128) on the same side of the longitudinal recess (130). Furthermore, each such pair of first and second embossed protrusions (126, 128) is longitudinally aligned with a respective pair of first and second embossed protrusions (126, 128) on the opposite side of the longitudinal recess (130).

[0029] As can be seen by comparing Figures 6 and 7, the pocket-forming projections (114), first embossing projections (126), and second embossing projections (128) of this variation are different in size and shape from one another. In other variations, the first and second embossing projections (126, 128) may be similar in size and shape. Furthermore, in this variation, the pocket-forming projections (114) are arranged on the upper punch (102) in a pattern that differs from the pattern in which the first and second embossing projections (126, 128) are arranged on the lower punch (104). Furthermore, as described in more detail below, each embossing protrusion (126, 128) of the lower punch (104) is at least partially offset from each pocket-forming protrusion (114) of the upper punch (102) and is therefore configured to assist the one or more pocket-forming protrusions (114) in forming the one or more individual pockets (70) in the upper surface (108) of the anvil blank (106).

[0030] In use, as briefly described above, the upper pocket-forming punch 102 and the lower embossing punch 104 are configured to cooperate to form staple-forming pockets 70 in the top surface 108 of the anvil blank 106 with increased accuracy and minimal tonnage. In particular, the upper punch 102 and lower punch 104 of this example simultaneously impact the top surface 108 and bottom surface 110 of the anvil blank 106, such that the upper punch projection 114 coins the anvil pocket 70 in the top surface 108, while the lower punch projections 126, 128 emboss the bottom surface 110, both via plastic deformation. This simultaneous plastic deformation of the bottom surface 110, and in particular the forcing of material from the bottom surface 110 toward the top surface 108 with the lower punch protrusions 126, 128 while forcing material from the top surface 108 toward the bottom surface 110 with the upper punch protrusions 114, operates to support the formation of anvil pockets 70 in the top surface 108 with accurate sizing and minimal defects. In this regard, the punch protrusions 114, 126, 128 are suitably positioned and the punches 102, 104 are suitably aligned so that each upper punch protrusion 114 cooperates with at least one first embossing protrusion 126 and at least one second embossing protrusion 128 of the lower punch 104 to form individual anvil pockets 70 in the top surface 108 with optimum precision. This cooperation of the upper and lower punch projections (114, 126, 128) results in minimal "pull-down" of the blank material defining the sidewalls of the anvil pocket (70), thereby allowing the pocket (70) to resemble as closely as possible the shape of the upper punch projection (114). In this manner, the anvil pocket (70) can be accurately formed without having to increase the tonnage of the coining assembly (100), thus maximizing the tooling life of the upper punch (102), lower punch (104), and any associated tooling components.

[0031] B. Exemplary Alternative Embossing Lower Punches In some instances, it may be desirable to provide an alternative configuration for the embossing lower punch (104) to further enhance the formation of the anvil pocket (70) in the upper surface (108) of the anvil blank (106). Figure 8 illustrates a portion of an exemplary alternative embossing lower punch (140) configured for use with the coining assembly (100) in place of the lower punch (104) described above, which is similar to the lower punch (104) except as otherwise described below.

[0032] Similar to the lower punch (104), the lower punch (140) includes a base surface (142), an optional longitudinal recess (144) formed in the base surface (142), and a plurality of first embossing protrusions (146) and second embossing protrusions (148) formed on the base surface (142) and similar to the embossing protrusions (126, 128) described above. The lower punch (140) further includes a plurality of third embossing protrusions (150), shown schematically in the form of rectangular protrusions. In this example, a row of the third embossing protrusions (150) is positioned along the longitudinally extending axis between two rows of the first embossing protrusions (146) on each lateral side of the longitudinal recess (144). Furthermore, each row of third embossing projections (150) is configured to align with a respective longitudinal axis extending between the two longitudinal rows of pocket-forming projections (114) on each lateral side of the upper punch (102). Thus, each pocket-forming projection (114) of the upper punch (102) is configured to cooperate with at least one first embossing projection (146), at least one second embossing projection (148), and at least one third embossing projection (150) of the lower punch (140) to form a respective anvil pocket (70) in the anvil blank (106). In this regard, the third embossing protrusion (150) is configured to cooperate with the first and second embossing protrusions (146, 148) to increase the accuracy of the anvil pocket (70) formed by the pocket forming protrusion (114) of the upper punch (102).

[0033] C. Exemplary Applications to Other Surgical Stapler Types It may be desirable to utilize variations of the coining assembly (100) and associated coining method described above to coin staple-forming pockets (70) onto anvil plates of various other configurations for use with other types of surgical staplers. Such surgical staplers may be configured for use in laparoscopic or open procedures and may include, by way of example only, any of the surgical staplers available from Ethicon (Cincinnati, Ohio). It will be understood that the anvil structures described below are merely exemplary and non-limiting applications of the coining assembly (100) and associated method described above.

[0034] 9 illustrates an exemplary anvil (160) configured for use with a surgical stapler (not shown) having a curved end effector, as disclosed in more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16 / 234,727, filed December 28, 2018, and entitled "Surgical Stapler with Tissue Engagement Features Around Tissue Containment Pin," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The anvil (160) includes a curved plate portion (162) and a linking arm (164) extending proximally from a lower end of the curved plate portion (162). The curved plate portion (162) extends transversely to the linking arm (164) along an arcuate path and includes a curved knife slot (166) and a plurality of staple-forming pockets (168) formed on a proximal side of the plate portion (162) on one side of the knife slot (166). Staple forming pockets 168 may be similar in shape to staple forming pockets 70 described above. It will be understood that upper punch 102 and lower punch 104 of coining assembly 100 may be suitably modified, for example, by arranging pock forming projections 114 and embossing projections 126, 128 along an arcuate path, to coin staple forming pockets 168 onto an anvil blank (not shown) to form anvil 160.

[0035] 10 illustrates another exemplary anvil (170) configured for use with a surgical stapler having a linear end effector, as disclosed in more detail in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 395,357, filed April 26, 2019, entitled "Tissue Cutting Washer for Right Angle Surgical Stapler," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The anvil (170) includes a linear plate portion (172) and a linking arm (174) extending proximally from a lower end of the curved plate portion (172). The plate portion (172) extends transversely relative to the linking arm (174) and includes a knife slot (176) and a plurality of staple-forming pockets (178) formed on the proximal side of the plate portion (172) on one side of the knife slot (176). The staple-forming pockets (178) may be similar in shape to the staple-forming pockets (70) described above. It will be appreciated that the upper punch (102) and / or lower punch (104) of the coining assembly (100) may be suitably modified as needed to coin staple-forming pockets (178) onto an anvil blank (not shown) to form the anvil (170).

[0036] 11 illustrates an exemplary anvil jaw assembly (180) for a laparoscopic surgical stapler of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 729,553, filed December 30, 2019, entitled "Surgical Stapler with Toggling Distal Tip," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The anvil jaw assembly (180) in this example includes a jaw (182) and an anvil plate (186) configured to be secured to an underside (184) of the jaw (182), for example, by welding or heat staking. The anvil jaw assembly (180) is configured to pivot relative to a staple cartridge (not shown) of a corresponding instrument end effector to clamp tissue. The anvil plate (186) includes a stepped anvil surface (188), a longitudinal knife slot (190), and a plurality of staple-forming pockets (192) formed on the stepped anvil surface (188) on one side of the knife slot (190), such that the innermost row of pockets (192) is raised away from the jaws (182) relative to the outermost row of pockets (192).

[0037] The staple-forming pockets (192) in this example are shaped to form staples having a B-shaped configuration, with the crown and each bent leg of the formed staple lying in the same plane. In particular, each pocket (192) is generally rectangular in shape and includes a concave base surface configured to deform a respective staple leg. The pockets (192) are arranged in longitudinally adjacent pairs, with each pair configured to form individual staples aligned longitudinally and having a B-shape. In other variations, the pockets (192) may be shaped similarly to the pockets (70) for forming three-dimensional staples. It will be understood that the upper punch (102) and / or the lower punch (104) of the coining assembly (100) may be suitably modified depending on the needs of coining the staple-forming pockets (192) onto a rectangular anvil blank (not shown) to form the anvil plate (186). Following formation of the anvil plate (186), the anvil plate (186) may be secured to the jaws (182).

[0038] 12 illustrates a portion of an exemplary anvil assembly (200) for a circular surgical stapler of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017 / 0258471, entitled "Methods and Systems for Performing Circular Stapling," published September 14, 2017, or U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020 / 0113565, entitled "Latch to Prevent Back-driving of Circular Surgical Stapler," published April 16, 2020, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The anvil assembly (200) includes a circular base cap (202) and an annular anvil plate (206) configured to be secured to a proximal surface (204) of the base cap (202), for example, by welding. The anvil plate (206) includes a circular central opening (208) configured to receive a cylindrical knife member (not shown) therethrough. The proximal side of the anvil plate (206) includes a pair of concentric annular arrays of staple-forming pockets (210). The pockets (210) may be shaped similarly to the pockets (70) for forming three-dimensional staples, or alternatively, for forming staples having a B-shape, as described in more detail above in connection with FIG. 4. It will be appreciated that the upper punch (102) and the lower punch (104) of the coining assembly (100) may be suitably modified, as needed, by, for example, arranging the punch projections (114, 126, 128) in a tubular array, to coin the staple-forming pockets (210) onto a circular anvil blank (not shown) for forming the anvil plate (186). Following formation of the anvil plate (206), the anvil plate (206) may be secured to the base cap (202).

[0039] III. Exemplary Combinations The following examples illustrate various non-exhaustive ways in which the teachings herein may be combined or applied. It should be understood that the following examples are not intended to limit the scope of the claims that may be presented at any time in this application or any subsequent application related to this application. No disclaimer is intended. The following examples are provided for illustrative purposes only. It is contemplated that the various teachings herein may be configured and applied in many other ways. It is also contemplated that certain features referred to in the following examples may be omitted in some variations. Accordingly, none of the aspects or features referred to below should be considered critical unless later expressly indicated as such by the inventors or their successors. If a claim presented in this application or any subsequent application related to this application includes additional features other than those referred to below, those additional features should not be considered added for any reasons of patentability. [Example]

[0040] A method of forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having a first punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a second punch opposing the first punch and having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) placing a workpiece between the first punch and the second punch; (b) contacting a first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the first side with the first plurality of protrusions to displace at least a portion of material on the first side in a direction toward a second side of the workpiece; and (c) contacting the first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the first side with the first plurality of protrusions to displace at least a portion of material on the first side in a direction toward a second side of the workpiece. (d) contacting a first side of the workpiece with a first punch while contacting a second side of the workpiece with a second punch, thereby plastically deforming the second side with a second plurality of protrusions and displacing at least some material of the second side in a direction toward the first side; and (d) forming a plurality of pockets in the first side through simultaneous contact of the first punch with the first side and the second punch with the second side, each pocket configured to deform a leg of a surgical staple. [Example]

[0041] The method of example 1, wherein each of the pockets comprises a concave base surface configured to deform the legs of the staple. [Example]

[0042] The method of any of the previous Examples, wherein each protrusion in the first plurality of protrusions is shaped differently than each protrusion in the second plurality of protrusions. [Example]

[0043] The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions is of a first type and at least some protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions are of a second type that differs from the first type in at least one of shape or size. [Example]

[0044] The method of example 4, wherein at least some of the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions are a third type that differs in at least one of shape or size from each of the first type and the second type. [Example]

[0045] The method of any of the preceding Examples, wherein at least some of the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions have a maximum dimension extending in a first direction and at least some of the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions have a maximum dimension extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction. [Example]

[0046] The method of any of the preceding Examples, wherein the first plurality of protrusions are arranged in a first configuration and the second plurality of protrusions are arranged in a second configuration different from the first configuration. [Example]

[0047] The method of any of the preceding Examples, wherein each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions has a first longitudinal end having a first width and a second longitudinal end having a second width different from the first width. [Example]

[0048] The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the first punch comprises an upper punch, the second punch comprises a lower punch, the first side of the workpiece comprises a top surface, and the second side of the workpiece comprises a bottom surface. [Example]

[0049] The method of any of the previous Examples, wherein each of the pockets has a shape complementary to a shape of each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions. [Example]

[0050] The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein each of the pockets has an elongated shape having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion therebetween, the first end configured to guide the unformed staple legs toward the intermediate portion and the second end configured to guide the deformed staple legs away from the intermediate portion. [Example]

[0051] The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein forming the plurality of pockets on the first side includes forming the pockets such that at least one pocket is separated from an adjacent pocket by a wall having a thickness of 0.010 inches or less. [Example]

[0052] The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the workpiece is flat and the workpiece is also rectangular or circular in shape. [Example]

[0053] The method of any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the workpiece includes an elongated slot, and wherein forming the plurality of pockets on the first side of the workpiece includes forming a first plurality of pockets on a first side of the elongated slot and forming a second plurality of pockets on a second side of the elongated slot. [Example]

[0054] The method of any of the preceding embodiments, further comprising coupling an anvil having a pocket to a portion of the surgical stapler end effector. [Example]

[0055] 1. A method for forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having an upper punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a lower punch having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) positioning a workpiece between the upper punch and the lower punch such that a top surface of the workpiece faces the upper punch and a bottom surface of the workpiece faces the lower punch; (b) contacting the top surface of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the top surface with the first plurality of protrusions; (c) engaging the bottom surface of the workpiece with the lower punch while contacting the top surface of the workpiece with the upper punch, thereby plastically deforming the bottom surface with the second plurality of protrusions; (d) forming a plurality of pockets in the top surface through contact between the upper punch and the lower punch and simultaneously contacting the bottom surface, each pocket having a shape complementary to a shape of each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions; and (e) coupling the workpiece to a portion of a surgical stapler end effector after forming the pockets in the top surface of the workpiece. [Example]

[0056] 17. The method of example 16, wherein each protrusion in the first plurality of protrusions is shaped differently than each protrusion in the second plurality of protrusions. [Example]

[0057] The method of any of Examples 16-17, wherein the first plurality of protrusions are arranged in a first configuration and the second plurality of protrusions are arranged in a second configuration different from the first configuration. [Example]

[0058] A method of forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having a movable first punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a fixed second punch opposing the first punch and having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) supporting a workpiece with the second punch; (b) advancing the first punch toward the second punch while the second punch remains stationary; and (c) contacting a first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby causing the first plurality of protrusions to plastically deform the first side. (d) contacting a first side of the workpiece with the first punch while engaging a second side of the workpiece with a second punch, thereby plastically deforming the second side with a second plurality of protrusions; (e) forming a plurality of pockets in the first side through simultaneous contact of the first punch with the first side and the second punch with the second side; and (f) coupling the workpiece to a portion of a surgical stapler end effector after forming the pockets in the top surface of the workpiece. [Example]

[0059] The method of example 19, wherein the first punch comprises an upper punch, the second punch comprises a lower punch, the first side of the workpiece comprises a top surface, and the second side of the workpiece comprises a bottom surface.

[0060] IV. Other It should be understood that any one or more of the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein can be combined with any one or more of the other teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein. Thus, the above teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. should not be considered in isolation from one another. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein can be combined will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings herein. Such modifications and variations are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

[0061] It should be understood that all or part of any patent, publication, or other disclosure referred to herein as being incorporated by reference is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material is set forth in this disclosure and does not contradict current definitions, views, or other disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as expressly set forth herein shall prevail over any conflicting statement incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, referred to herein as being incorporated by reference but which contradicts current definitions, views, or other disclosure described herein shall be incorporated only to the extent that no conflict arises between the incorporated material and the current disclosure.

[0062] The above-described exemplary device variations are applicable not only to traditional medical procedures and surgeries performed by medical professionals, but also to robotic-assisted medical procedures and surgeries. By way of example only, the various teachings herein can be readily incorporated into robotic surgical systems such as the DAVINCI™ system by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (Sunnyvale, California).

[0063] The above-described device variations can be designed to be disposed of after a single use, or they can be designed to be used multiple times. Variations can, in either or both cases, be reconditioned for reuse after at least one use. Reconditioning can include any combination of the steps of disassembly of the device, followed by cleaning or replacement of particular parts, and subsequent reassembly. In particular, some device variations can be disassembled, and any number of particular parts or portions of the device can be selectively replaced or removed in any combination. Upon cleaning and / or replacement of particular parts, some device variations can be reassembled for subsequent use either at a reconditioning facility, or by a user immediately prior to a procedure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that reconditioning of a device can utilize a variety of techniques for disassembly, cleaning / replacement, and reassembly. Use of such techniques, and the resulting reconditioned device, are all within the scope of the present application.

[0064] By way of example only, the variations described herein may be sterilized before and / or after treatment. In one sterilization technique, the device is placed in a closed and sealed container, such as a plastic or TYVEK bag. The container and device may then be placed in a radiation field that can penetrate the container, such as gamma radiation, x-rays, or a high-energy electron beam. The radiation may kill bacteria on the device and in the container. The sterilized device may then be stored in the sterile container for later use. The device may also be sterilized using any other technique known in the art, including, but not limited to, beta or gamma radiation, ethylene oxide, or steam.

[0065] While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein may be realized by those skilled in the art through appropriate modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. While some such possible modifications have been described, other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the above examples, embodiments, geometries, materials, dimensions, proportions, steps, etc. are illustrative and not required. Accordingly, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention should be considered in terms of the following claims and is not limited to the details of construction and operation shown and described in the specification and drawings.

[0066] [Embodiment] (1) A method of forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having a first punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a second punch opposing the first punch and having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) placing a workpiece between the first punch and the second punch; (b) contacting a first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the first side at the first plurality of protrusions to displace at least some material of the first side in a direction toward a second side of the workpiece; (c) contacting the second side of the workpiece with the second punch while contacting the first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the second side with the second plurality of protrusions and displacing at least a portion of material of the second side in a direction toward the first side; (d) forming a plurality of pockets in the first side through the contact of the first punch with the first side and the simultaneous contact of the second punch with the second side, each pocket configured to deform a leg of a surgical staple. (2) The method of embodiment 1, wherein each of the pockets comprises a concave base surface configured to deform the legs of the staple. (3) The method of claim 1, wherein each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions is shaped differently from each protrusion of the second plurality of protrusions. (4) The method of embodiment 1, wherein each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions is of a first type, and at least some of the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions are of a second type that differs from the first type in at least one of shape or size. (5) The method of embodiment 4, wherein at least some of the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions are of a third type that differs in at least one of shape or size from each of the first type and the second type.

[0067] (6) The method of embodiment 1, wherein at least some of the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions have a maximum dimension extending in a first direction, and at least some of the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions have a maximum dimension extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction. (7) The method of embodiment 1, wherein the first plurality of protrusions are arranged in a first configuration and the second plurality of protrusions are arranged in a second configuration different from the first configuration. (8) The method of claim 1, wherein each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions has a first longitudinal end having a first width and a second longitudinal end having a second width different from the first width. (9) The method of claim 1, wherein the first punch comprises an upper punch, the second punch comprises a lower punch, the first side of the workpiece comprises a top surface, and the second side of the workpiece comprises a bottom surface. (10) The method of embodiment 1, wherein each of the pockets has a shape complementary to the shape of each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions.

[0068] (11) The method of embodiment 1, wherein each of the pockets has an elongated shape having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion therebetween, the first end being configured to guide the staple legs in an unformed state toward the intermediate portion, and the second end being configured to guide the staple legs in a deformed state away from the intermediate portion. (12) The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of pockets on the first side includes forming the pockets such that at least one pocket is separated from an adjacent pocket by a wall having a thickness of 0.254 mm (0.010 inches) or less. (13) The method of claim 1, wherein the workpiece is flat and the workpiece is also rectangular or circular in shape. (14) The method of claim 1, wherein the workpiece includes an elongated slot, and forming the plurality of pockets on the first side of the workpiece includes forming a first plurality of pockets on a first side of the elongated slot and forming a second plurality of pockets on a second side of the elongated slot. (15) The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling the anvil having the pocket to a portion of a surgical stapler end effector.

[0069] (16) A method of forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having an upper punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a lower punch having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) placing the workpiece between the upper punch and the lower punch such that a top surface of the workpiece faces the upper punch and a bottom surface of the workpiece faces the lower punch; (b) contacting an upper surface of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the upper surface with the first plurality of protrusions; (c) engaging a bottom surface of the workpiece with the lower punch while contacting the top surface of the workpiece with the upper punch, thereby plastically deforming the bottom surface with the second plurality of protrusions; (d) forming a plurality of pockets in the top surface through the contact between the upper punch and the top surface and the simultaneous contact between the lower punch and the bottom surface, each of the pockets having a shape complementary to a shape of a respective protrusion in the first plurality of protrusions; (e) coupling the workpiece to a portion of a surgical stapler end effector after forming the pocket in the upper surface of the workpiece; A method comprising: 17. The method of claim 16, wherein each protrusion in the first plurality of protrusions is shaped differently than each protrusion in the second plurality of protrusions. (18) The method of embodiment 16, wherein the first plurality of protrusions are arranged in a first configuration and the second plurality of protrusions are arranged in a second configuration different from the first configuration. (19) A method of forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having a movable first punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a stationary second punch opposing the first punch and having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) supporting a workpiece with said second punch; (b) advancing the first punch toward the second punch while the second punch remains stationary; (c) contacting a first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the first side with the first plurality of protrusions; (d) engaging a second side of the workpiece with the second punch while contacting the first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the second side with the second plurality of protrusions; (e) forming a plurality of pockets in the first side surface through the contact between the first punch and the first side surface and the simultaneous contact between the second punch and the second side surface; (f) coupling the workpiece to a portion of a surgical stapler end effector after forming the pocket in the top surface of the workpiece. (20) The method of claim 19, wherein the first punch comprises an upper punch, the second punch comprises a lower punch, the first side of the workpiece comprises a top surface, and the second side of the workpiece comprises a bottom surface.

Claims

1. 1. A method of forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having a first punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a second punch opposite the first punch and having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) placing a workpiece between the first punch and the second punch; (b) contacting a first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the first side at the first plurality of protrusions to displace at least some material of the first side in a direction toward a second side of the workpiece; (c) contacting the second side of the workpiece with the second punch while contacting the first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the second side with the second plurality of protrusions and displacing at least some material of the second side in a direction toward the first side; (d) contacting the first side of the workpiece with the first punch while contacting the second side of the workpiece with the second punch to form a plurality of pockets in the first side, each pocket configured to deform a leg of a surgical staple.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the pockets includes a concave base surface configured to deform the legs of the staple.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each protrusion in the first plurality of protrusions is shaped differently than each protrusion in the second plurality of protrusions.

4. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions is of a first type and at least some protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions are of a second type that differs from the first type in at least one of shape or size.

5. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least some of the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions are of a third type that differs in at least one of shape or size from each of the first type and the second type.

6. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions have a maximum dimension extending in a first direction and at least some of the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions have a maximum dimension extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of protrusions are arranged in a first configuration and the second plurality of protrusions are arranged in a second configuration different from the first configuration.

8. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each protrusion in the first plurality of protrusions has a first longitudinal end having a first width and a second longitudinal end having a second width different from the first width.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first punch comprises an upper punch, the second punch comprises a lower punch, the first side of the workpiece comprises a top surface, and the second side of the workpiece comprises a bottom surface.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the pockets has a shape complementary to a shape of each protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions.

11. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the pockets has an elongated shape having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion therebetween, the first end configured to guide the staple legs in an unformed state toward the intermediate portion, and the second end configured to guide the staple legs in a deformed state away from the intermediate portion.

12. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the plurality of pockets in the first side includes forming the pockets such that at least one pocket is separated from an adjacent pocket by a wall having a thickness of 0.254 mm (0.010 inches) or less.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the workpiece is flat and the workpiece is also rectangular or circular in shape.

14. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the workpiece includes an elongated slot, and forming the plurality of pockets in the first side of the workpiece includes forming a first plurality of pockets on a first side of the elongated slot and forming a second plurality of pockets on a second side of the elongated slot.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the anvil having the pocket to a portion of a surgical stapler end effector.

16. 1. A method of forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having an upper punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a lower punch having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) placing the workpiece between the upper punch and the lower punch such that a top surface of the workpiece faces the upper punch and a bottom surface of the workpiece faces the lower punch; (b) contacting the upper surface of the workpiece with the upper punch, thereby plastically deforming the upper surface with the first plurality of protrusions; (c) engaging the bottom surface of the workpiece with the lower punch while contacting the top surface of the workpiece with the upper punch, thereby plastically deforming the bottom surface with the second plurality of protrusions; (d) contacting the top surface of the workpiece with the upper punch while engaging the bottom surface of the workpiece with the lower punch to form a plurality of pockets in the top surface, each pocket having a shape complementary to a shape of a respective protrusion of the first plurality of protrusions; (e) coupling the workpiece to a portion of a surgical stapler end effector after forming the pocket in the upper surface of the workpiece; A method comprising:

17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein each protrusion in the first plurality of protrusions is shaped differently than each protrusion in the second plurality of protrusions.

18. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of protrusions are arranged in a first configuration and the second plurality of protrusions are arranged in a second configuration different from the first configuration.

19. 1. A method of forming an anvil for a surgical stapler having a movable first punch having a first plurality of protrusions and a stationary second punch opposing the first punch and having a second plurality of protrusions, the method comprising: (a) supporting a workpiece with the second punch; (b) advancing the first punch toward the second punch while the second punch remains stationary; (c) contacting a first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the first side with the first plurality of protrusions; (d) engaging a second side of the workpiece with the second punch while contacting the first side of the workpiece with the first punch, thereby plastically deforming the second side with the second plurality of protrusions; (e) forming a plurality of pockets in the first side by engaging the second side of the workpiece with the second punch while contacting the first side of the workpiece with the first punch; (f) after forming the pocket in the first side of the workpiece, coupling the workpiece to a portion of a surgical stapler end effector.

20. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first punch comprises an upper punch, the second punch comprises a lower punch, the first side of the workpiece comprises a top surface, and the second side of the workpiece comprises a bottom surface.

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