U.S. Patent 7997469 was awarded to Tyco Healthcare Group LP on 2011-08-16 and describes a “Staple drive assembly.” This patent has been cited 344 times by other U.S. patents which places it in the top 500 cited patents since 2010 according to our law firm research, and makes it of the most innovative medical technology patents in the field of instruments. The abstract states:

A staple drive assembly includes an actuation sled and at least one staple pusher. The staple drive assembly is adapted to fit within a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples and a corresponding number of retention slots. The at least one staple pusher includes at least one pusher plate for releasably engaging a backspan of a staple. The staple pusher may include a plurality of pusher plates that may be laterally and longitudinally spaced apart. An actuation member has at least one angled camming surface for engaging a complimentary angled surface of the at least one staple pusher. Camming engagement between the actuation member and the at least one staple pusher causes vertical movement of the at least one staple pusher. Lateral and longitudinal offset of the actuation member camming surfaces and the corresponding staple pusher following surfaces improves stability and control of the staple pusher during firing. Link: U.S. Patent 7997469

This patent was originally filed on 2009-11-17 which gives it a processing time of 637 days, compared to an average processing time of 1080 in the field. Tyco Healthcare Group LP has 1168 total patents. The first named inventor is Ralph A. Stearns of Bozrah, CT. The primary examiner was Brian D Nash.

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