Abstract: A powered surgical stapler includes a motor unit, a movable member, a controller, a sensor assembly, an anvil, and an opposing deck surface. A method of operating the stapler includes controlling the motor unit to actuate the movable member to move from the open position towards the closed position. The method also includes sensing closure data using the sensor assembly. The closure data includes an initial tissue contact position, a gap formed between the anvil and the opposing deck surface, and an axial force on the anvil. The method also includes communicating the closure data to the controller. The method also includes determining at least one of an adjusted closure rate or an adjusted closure stroke using the closure data. The method also includes controlling the motor unit using at least one of the adjusted closure rate or the adjusted closure stroke.

Abstract: A surgical stapling assembly is disclosed. The surgical stapling assembly can include a first jaw, a second jaw, an articulation joint, a closure drive comprising a first flexible rotary drive extending through the articulation joint, and a firing drive comprising a second flexible rotary drive extending through the articulation joint and rotatable independent of the first flexible rotary drive. The surgical stapling assembly can further include a 3D-printed component. The surgical stapling assembly can be configured to form different staple shapes, such as non-planar staples and planar staples, can include an eccentrically-driven firing assembly, and/or can include a floatable component. The surgical stapling assembly can include a staple cartridge including a longitudinal support beam.

Abstract: A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.

Abstract: A tissue thickness compensator can comprise a compensator body and at least one vessel contained in the compensator body. The vessel can define an inner cavity which can comprise an inner atmosphere having a pressure which is lower than the atmospheric pressure of the atmosphere surrounding the tissue thickness compensator. In at least one embodiment, the vessel and the compensator body can be maintained in a collapsed state until staples are fired through the vessel. At such point, the vessel can re-expand and apply a biasing force to tissue captured within the staples.

Abstract: Surgical instruments and/or fastener apparatuses comprising an end effector with a pair of jaws pivoted at a proximal end thereof and movable between an open and closed position. At least one of the jaws may comprise a channel for receiving a cartridge containing a plurality of surgical fasteners. Also, an electrically powered actuator may be for deploying the surgical fasteners and may comprise a power source and a motor. An activation mechanism may be attached to the handle to move the pair of jaws from the open to the closed position and to activate the actuator. A lockout mechanism may be configured to permit current to flow from the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the closed position and to prevent current from flowing to the power source to the motor when the pair of jaws is in the open position.

Abstract: Articulation joints for use in connection with a surgical instrument that has a portion that must be passed through a trocar or similar structure and then articulated relative to another portion of the instrument received within the trocar. Various embodiments of the articulation joint include at least one flexible driven member to articulate the surgical implement relative to the handle assembly of the instrument.

Abstract: A trigger assembly of a surgical instrument includes a trigger, a first linkage, a second linkage, and a slider block configured such that moving the manipulation portion in a first direction relative to a housing of the surgical instrument translates the slider block along a longitudinal axis relative to the housing. Another trigger assembly of a surgical instrument includes a trigger and a coupling sphere rotatably captured within a cavity of a retention portion of the trigger such that movement of a manipulation portion of the trigger relative to the housing translates the coupling sphere along the longitudinal axis relative to the housing.

Abstract: A staple cartridge for use with a stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil portion that is selectively movable between open and closed positions is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention include a cartridge body that movably supports first and second staple drivers. The staple drivers each support a staple thereon and serve to drive the staples into forming contact with the anvil upon actuation by the actuator. The various embodiments of the present invention enable the final formed heights of the staples to be varied without the need to use different sizes of staples.

Abstract: A housing for a work implement has a first housing shell with first outer wall and a second housing shell with second outer wall. The first and second outer walls contact each other along a separation plane. The first housing shell has a first rib extending transversely to the separation plane and projecting past the separation plane into the second housing shell. First measuring points are located in the separation plane. The first rib has a first rib height measured in transverse direction from a first measuring point to a first end of the first rib facing the second housing shell. The second housing shell has a second shell height measured in transverse direction from the same first measuring point to an inner side of the second housing shell. The first measuring points include measuring points where the first rib height is at least 15% of the second shell height.

Abstract: A surgical kit includes a surgical stapling device and a loading assembly. The surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly and a buttress material. The tool assembly includes first and second jaw members. The first jaw member supports a staple cartridge that includes a retention assembly. The retention assembly includes a cam block including a pair of protrusions and a spring biasing the cam block towards the second jaw member. The buttress material includes proximal and distal portions. The proximal portion defines bores laterally spaced apart and configured to receive the pair of protrusions of the cam block. The distal portion defines a cavity to be placed over a distal end portion of the staple cartridge. The loading assembly includes a housing defining a chamber configured to receive a portion of the buttress material. The housing includes a proximal portion defining a slot configured to receive the buttress material therethrough and the pair of protrusions of the cam block.

Abstract: A surgical stapling assembly is disclosed. The surgical stapling assembly can include a first jaw, a second jaw, an articulation joint, a closure drive comprising a first flexible rotary drive extending through the articulation joint, and a firing drive comprising a second flexible rotary drive extending through the articulation joint and rotatable independent of the first flexible rotary drive. The surgical stapling assembly can further include a 3D-printed component. The 3D-printed component can include a plastic body and one or more metal substrates with interlocking features embedded in the plastic body. The surgical stapling assembly can include a firing member having a flexible portion configured to flex more readily that adjacent portions of the firing member.

Abstract: There is provided a power tool in which impact applied to a power transmission portion can be mitigated to thereby suppress components constituting the power transmission portion from being deformed and damaged. The power tool includes a brushless motor 3 having a rotation shaft portion 31 rotatable about a rotation axis A1, a housing 2 accommodating therein the brushless motor 3, a power transmission portion 6 configured to receive a rotation force of the rotation shaft portion 31 and to transmit a driving force based on the rotation force, and a driven portion 7 configured to be driven by receiving the transmitted driving force. The rotation shaft portion 31 is supported by the housing 2 so as to be movable relative to the housing 2 in an axial direction of the rotation axis A1.

Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a drive housing having first and second ends, a spline extending between the ends and including a drive gear that rotates with spline rotation, and a carriage mounted to the spline. A shaft extends from the carriage, penetrates the first end, and has an end effector arranged at a distal end. An activating mechanism is housed in the carriage and includes an input gear operatively coupled to the drive gear such that rotation of the drive gear correspondingly rotates the input gear, and a firing rod defining external threads threadably engageable with internal threads of the input gear. The firing rod is coupled to a knife at the end effector such that movement of the firing rod correspondingly moves the knife in the same direction. The drive gear is rotated to rotate the input gear and thereby move the firing rod and the knife.

Abstract: A power tool and a hook can withstand a shock load applied when being suspended. The hook includes a hook body, a hook support supporting the hook body, and a shock absorber that is compressible and located between the hook body and the hook support to absorb shock on the hook body.

Abstract: A powered surgical device includes a power source and a motor coupled to the power source. The device may also include a transmission assembly movable by the motor. The device may also include a sensor configured to monitor operation of the transmission assembly and output sensor data. The device may also include a controller configured to: determine position of the transmission assembly and operate the motor based on the position of the transmission assembly and an interruption in the sensor data.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device that comprises an end effector. According to various embodiments, the end effector comprises a circular anvil having a staple forming surface and a plurality of staples facing the staple forming surface of the anvil. The end effector also comprises a staple driver assembly comprising a plurality of staple drivers. Each staple driver supports one of the plurality of staples and is configured such that, when the staple driver assembly is actuated, each staple driver drives the staple into the staple forming surface of the anvil. A first quantity of the plurality of staple drivers has a first height and a second quantity of the plurality of staple drivers has a second height, wherein the first height is less than the second height.

Abstract: Methods and structures are provided for a dunnage system to facilitate efficient coupling together of supply units of pre-configured sheet stock material, such as, for example, separate units of fanfold stacks of pre-configured sheet stock material, in a manner of continuous supply with a continuous pocket extending longitudinally between the separate supply units, so that they can interact with an expander of the dunnage system without disruption as one supply unit is depleted and a next supply unit is fed through the dunnage system. Also, various methods, apparatus, and systems are provided to facilitate smooth operation of a dunnage machine of the dunnage system to reduce a tendency of the pre-configured sheet stock material to jam and to increase the tendency of dunnage product generated to reflect a desired shape and stability.

Abstract: A method of stapling tissue is disclosed. The method can include obtaining a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples, wherein each staple has a base and a leg extending from the base. The stapling method can also include firing the staples from the staple cartridge, wherein the staples are fired into tissue in a staple line. The staple line can include a first portion having a first flexibility and a second portion having a second flexibility, wherein the second flexibility is different than the first flexibility. A method of stapling tissue can also include adapting an anvil with an anvil plate having an arrangement of staple-forming pockets that differs from the staple-forming pockets in the anvil.

Abstract: Methods for providing and using a surgical instrument system are disclosed.

Abstract: A power tool having one or more sound damping members which reduce sound and/or vibration from one or more parts of a power tool. The sound damping member can reduce sound and/or vibration from static or dynamic parts of a power tool. The sound damping member can reduce noise and/or vibration from one or more rotating or moving parts of a power tool and its housing or internal structure. Methods, means, controls, systems and practices for reducing or eliminating undesired sound from a power tool are disclosed.