Staple Cartridge Wall Structure for Reduced Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Staple cartridges in surgical stapling instruments are prone to bending, twisting, and collapsing under compressive loads due to differences in material elasticity and structural design, leading to misalignment of staples and increased difficulty in cutting and stapling tissue.
Innovation Solution
The staple cartridge design incorporates inner and outer cartridge walls with varying lateral widths and support structures, including support inserts and sleds, to provide lateral and longitudinal support, reducing deflection and twisting by distributing load to stiffer channel jaw components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the cartridge body is made with standard wall structures, then the device complexity is low and ease of manufacture is high, but the cartridge deflection and twisting increase under compressive loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the lateral width of cartridge walls at different positions. Specifically, the first lateral pillar width of the inner cartridge wall is wider than the second lateral pillar width of the outer cartridge wall, creating localized structural reinforcement where needed to resist deflection while maintaining overall design efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses deflection by adding dimensional complexity to the wall structures. The inner and outer cartridge walls are designed with different lateral widths and pillar heights, creating a multi-dimensional structural configuration that provides enhanced rigidity and resistance to bending and twisting forces
2Volume of moving object
If the cartridge walls are made thinner to reduce size, then the device compactness improves, but the structural strength and resistance to collapsing decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes wall thickness distribution by making the inner cartridge wall wider at its first lateral pillar width compared to the outer cartridge wall's second lateral pillar width. This localized thickening provides structural strength where compressive loads are highest while keeping other areas more compact
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite-like structure through the combination of inner and outer cartridge walls with different dimensional characteristics. The varying lateral widths and pillar heights create a layered configuration that provides both strength and compactness, similar to how composite materials combine different material properties
3Stability of the object's composition
If support structures are added to reduce deflection, then the cartridge stability improves, but the manufacturing complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support function directly into the cartridge wall structures themselves. The inner and outer cartridge walls with their varying lateral widths and pillar heights serve both as structural boundaries and as load-bearing support elements, eliminating the need for separate support components
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge walls serve multiple functions: they define the cartridge boundaries, provide structural strength, resist deflection and twisting, and support the overall load. The varying lateral widths and pillar heights enable the walls to perform both containment and structural support roles simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical stapling assembly comprising a cartridge body, a plurality of staples, a plurality of staple drivers, a sled, and a support plane is disclosed. The cartridge body comprises a deck, a plurality of staple cavities defined in the deck, a longitudinal slot defined in the deck, and an outer cartridge wall. The support plane extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis, wherein the sled is positioned under an inner cartridge wall in the support plane, wherein the inner cartridge wall comprises a first lateral pillar width and a first pillar height in the support plane, wherein the outer cartridge wall comprises a second lateral pillar width and a second pillar height in the support plane, and wherein the first lateral pillar width is wider than the second lateral pillar width.