Abstract: A system for effective, efficient and controlled public disclosure of inventions, developments and/or discoveries for protecting patent rights includes a publicly accessible central server to which a public at large is connected via a global communication network. The publicly available central server is composed of an interface module through which either a member of the public at large or an inventor, patent applicant or patent assignee is guided to either a public disclosure module or a database module. The public disclosure module provides inventors, patent applicants, and patent assignees with the ability to upload their disclosure materials relating to their inventions, developments and/or discoveries for public access via the database module. Once the disclosure material is uploaded via the public disclosure module, disclosure of the invention, development and/or discovery is incorporated into the database module for access by the public at large.

Abstract: A linear surgical stapler adapted for applying a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue includes an anvil structure and a cartridge housing containing a plurality of surgical fasteners. The cartridge housing and anvil structure are relatively movable between a first spaced apart position and a second position in close approximation with one another. A firing mechanism is associated with the cartridge housing for ejecting the surgical fasteners from the cartridge housing to be driven against the anvil structure. A lockout mechanism interacts with the cartridge housing for selective activation and deactivation. The lockout mechanism includes a swing gate tab secured to the cartridge housing at a position adjacent a lockout lever, such that firing of the linear surgical stapler rotates the swing gate tab releasing the lockout lever for preventing further firing of the used cartridge housing.