WO2025232830A1 - Staple cartridge status identification device and identification method, and surgical instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

A staple cartridge status identification device and identification method, and a surgical instrument. The staple cartridge status identification device comprises: an end effector (1) comprising an anvil (10) and a staple cartridge assembly (20); a closure assembly (30) comprising a closure component (31) and a closure driving component (33) for driving the closure component (31) to slide; a driving electric motor (40) configured to provide a driving force to the closure driving component (33) under the action of a driving current; a current monitoring circuit (50) configured to monitor a maximum driving current value (Imax) during movement of the closure component (30) from an initial position (P0) to a closed position (Py); and a processing circuit (60) electrically connected to the current monitoring circuit (50) and configured to identify whether a staple cartridge (22) is present in the staple cartridge assembly (20) on the basis of the maximum driving current value (Imax). The staple cartridge status identification device and method not only improve the operational convenience of the surgical instrument, but also reduce the risk of incorrect operation of the instrument.

Description

Staple cartridge status recognition device and its recognition method and surgical instruments

Cross-reference to related applications

This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410566592.7, filed on May 9, 2024, entitled “Device for recognizing staple cartridge status and method thereof and surgical instrument”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

This disclosure relates to the field of medical devices, and more particularly to a staple cartridge status identification device and identification method for a surgical instrument, and a surgical instrument.

Background Technology

Anastomosing devices are medical devices used to replace manual sutures. Their main working principle is to use staples to cut or anastomose tissue, similar to a stapler. Electric anastomosing devices combine a motor, circuit board, and traditional mechanical components, achieving all the functions of a laparoscopic anastomosing device under electric control, making operation simpler.

Summary of the Invention

This disclosure provides a device and method for identifying the status of a staple cartridge for surgical instruments, as well as the surgical instruments themselves.

According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a staple cartridge status recognition device for surgical instruments is provided, comprising: an end effector, a closure assembly, a drive motor, a current monitoring circuit, and a processing circuit. The end effector includes an anvil and a staple cartridge assembly operably connected to the anvil, the staple cartridge assembly being configured to receive a staple cartridge containing staples, the end effector including a proximal end and a distal end opposite to each other; a closure assembly configured to move along an axial direction from the proximal end to the distal end, the closure assembly including: a slidable closure member and a closure drive member actuating the closure member, the closure member having an initial position and a closed position, wherein the closure member, the staple cartridge assembly, and the staple cartridge are configured such that the staple cartridge assembly is moved closer to the anvil as the closure member moves from the initial position to the closed position; a drive motor configured to provide a driving force to the closure drive member under the action of a drive current; a current monitoring circuit configured to monitor a maximum drive current value during the movement of the closure member from the initial position to the closed position; and a processing circuit electrically connected to the current monitoring circuit and configured to identify the presence of the staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly based on the maximum drive current value.

In at least some embodiments, the processing circuit is further configured to: set a first current threshold, wherein the first current threshold is greater than zero; and compare the maximum drive current value with the first current threshold; wherein, when the maximum drive current value is less than or equal to the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge does not exist in the nail cartridge assembly; and when the maximum drive current value is greater than the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge exists in the nail cartridge assembly.

In at least some embodiments, the processing circuit is further configured to: after identifying the presence of the staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly, further identify whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge have been fired.

In at least some embodiments, the processing circuit is further configured to: set a second current threshold, wherein the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold; and compare the maximum drive current value with the second current threshold; wherein, when the maximum drive current value is greater than the first current threshold and less than or equal to the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has been fired; and when the maximum drive current value is greater than the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has not been fired.

In at least some embodiments, the first current threshold is 0.95 to 1.05 A, and the second current threshold is 1.15 to 1.25 A.

In at least some embodiments, the closing member further has a closing start position located between the initial position and the closed position; the closing member, the staple cartridge assembly, and the staple cartridge are configured such that: when the closing member is in the initial position, there is a maximum distance between the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil; when the closing member is in the closed position, there is a minimum distance between the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil; when the closing member is in the closing start position, the staple cartridge assembly begins to move closer to the anvil; the current monitoring circuit is configured to monitor an initial maximum drive current value during the process of the closing member moving from the initial position to the closing start position; and the processing circuit is configured to identify whether the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly based on the initial maximum drive current value.

In at least some embodiments, the processing circuit is further configured to: set a first current threshold, wherein the first current threshold is greater than zero; and compare the initial maximum drive current value with the first current threshold; wherein, when the initial maximum drive current value is less than or equal to the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge does not exist in the nail cartridge assembly; and when the initial maximum drive current value is greater than the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge exists in the nail cartridge assembly.

In at least some embodiments, the processing circuit is further configured to: after determining that the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly, further determine whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge have been fired.

In at least some embodiments, the processing circuit is further configured to: set a second current threshold, wherein the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold; and compare the initial maximum drive current value with the second current threshold; wherein, when the initial maximum drive current value is greater than the first current threshold and less than or equal to the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has been fired; and when the initial maximum drive current value is greater than the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has not been fired.

In at least some embodiments, the staple cartridge includes a staple ejection surface having a staple ejection area and a non-staple ejection area, the non-staple ejection area being located on the side of the staple ejection area closer to the proximal end; the anvil includes an abutment surface and at least one spring piece disposed on the abutment surface, the spring piece extending toward the non-staple ejection area, such that when the staple cartridge assembly moves toward the anvil, the spring piece and the staple cartridge have the following positional relationship: when the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly, the spring piece abuts against the non-staple ejection area of the staple cartridge; when the staple cartridge is not present in the staple cartridge assembly, the spring piece does not contact the non-staple ejection area of the staple cartridge.

In at least some embodiments, the anvil surface has an anvil area and a non-anvil area, the non-anvil area being located on the side of the anvil area closer to the proximal end; the at least one spring includes a head end and a tail end opposite to each other in its extending direction, the tail end being connected to the non-anvil area, the head end being a protruding end and extending toward the non-outlet area, such that when the staple cartridge assembly moves closer to the anvil and the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly, the protruding end of the at least one spring abuts against the non-outlet area.

In at least some embodiments, the staple cartridge assembly further includes: a bottom shell defining an elongated channel for receiving the staple cartridge, the staple cartridge being detachably mounted in the elongated channel; and a staple pusher assembly configured to push the staples out of the staple cartridge, the staple pusher assembly including a staple pusher member located between the staple cartridge and the bottom shell and configured to move between a proximal position near the proximal end and a distal position near the distal end; wherein the staple pusher assembly is configured such that when the staple pusher member moves to the distal position, a gap exists between the staple cartridge and the bottom shell at the proximal position, such that the staple cartridge has descent space when the spring abuts against the non-staple ejection area; and when the staple pusher member moves to the proximal position, the gap is occupied by the staple pusher member, such that the staple cartridge remains stationary when the spring abuts against the non-staple ejection area.

In at least some embodiments, the anvil surface has a groove extending along the axial direction, the closing member includes a cutting portion configured to move within the groove; the anvil region includes a first anvil region and a second anvil region, the first anvil region and the second anvil region being located on opposite sides of the groove; the non-anvil region includes a first non-anvil region and a second non-anvil region, the first non-anvil region and the second non-anvil region being located on opposite sides of the groove; the at least one spring includes two springs, the two springs including a first spring and a second spring, the first spring being connected to the first non-anvil region, and the second spring being connected to the second non-anvil region.

In at least some embodiments, the nail ejection surface has opposing grooves extending along the axial direction, and the cutting portion is configured to move simultaneously in the grooves and the opposing grooves; the nail ejection area includes a first nail ejection area and a second nail ejection area, which are located on opposite sides of the groove; the non-nail ejection area includes a first non-nail ejection area and a second non-nail ejection area, which are located on opposite sides of the groove; the first spring is configured such that when the nail cartridge is present in the nail cartridge assembly, the first spring abuts against the first non-nail ejection area; when the nail cartridge is not present in the nail cartridge assembly, the first spring does not contact the first non-nail ejection area; the second spring is configured such that when the nail cartridge is present in the nail cartridge assembly, the second spring abuts against the second non-nail ejection area; when the nail cartridge is not present in the nail cartridge assembly, the second spring does not contact the second non-nail ejection area.

According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a surgical instrument is provided, including any of the staple cartridge status recognition devices described above.

According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a method for identifying the status of a staple cartridge in a surgical instrument is provided, comprising: driving a closure component to move from an initial position to a closed position; monitoring a maximum driving current value during the process of the closure component moving from the initial position to the closed position; and identifying whether the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly based on the maximum driving current value.

In at least some embodiments, identifying whether the nail cartridge exists in the nail cartridge assembly based on the maximum drive current value includes: setting a first current threshold, wherein the first current threshold is greater than zero; and comparing the maximum drive current value with the first current threshold; wherein, when the maximum drive current value is less than or equal to the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge does not exist in the nail cartridge assembly; and when the maximum drive current value is greater than the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge exists in the nail cartridge assembly.

In at least some embodiments, after identifying the presence of the staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly, the staple cartridge status identification method further includes: identifying whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge have been fired.

In at least some embodiments, identifying whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge have been fired includes:

A second current threshold is set, wherein the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold; and

The maximum driving current value is compared with the second current threshold; wherein, when the maximum driving current value is greater than the first current threshold and less than or equal to the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has been fired; when the maximum driving current value is greater than the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has not been fired.

In at least some embodiments, a closing start position is provided between the initial position and the closed position, and the closing component moves from the initial position through the closing start position to the closing start position; monitoring the maximum drive current value during the process of the closing component moving from the initial position to the closed position includes: monitoring the initial maximum drive current value during the process of the closing component moving from the initial position to the closing start position; identifying whether the staple cartridge exists in the staple cartridge assembly based on the maximum drive current value includes: identifying whether the staple cartridge exists in the staple cartridge assembly based on the initial maximum drive current value.

Attached Figure Description

To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

Figure 2 is a block diagram of a staple cartridge identification device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 3A is a top view of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

Figure 3B is a schematic diagram of a cross section taken along line A-A in Figure 3A;

Figure 3C is a schematic diagram of another cross section taken along line A-A in Figure 3A;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the closing component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 5A is a schematic diagram of the staple cartridge assembly according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

Figure 5B is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of Figure 5A;

Figure 6A is a schematic diagram of the structure of the anvil according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

Figure 6B is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of Figure 6A;

Figure 6C is a schematic diagram of the spring clip in Figure 6A;

Figure 7A is another top view of the surgical instruments according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

Figure 7B is a schematic diagram of a cross section taken along line B-B in Figure 7A;

Figure 7C is a schematic diagram of another cross section taken along line B-B in Figure 7A;

Figure 8A is a schematic diagram of the end effector in its initial state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 8B is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the end effector in Figure 8A;

Figure 8C is a magnified view of a portion of region E in Figure 8B;

Figure 9A is a schematic diagram of the end effector in the closed start state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 9B is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the end effector in Figure 9A;

Figure 9C is a magnified view of a portion of region F in Figure 9B;

Figure 9D is another internal structure diagram of the end effector in Figure 9A;

Figure 9E is a magnified view of a portion of region G in Figure 9D;

Figure 10 is another structural schematic diagram of the staple cartridge assembly according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

Figure 11 is a flowchart of the steps of the method for recognizing the status of the staple cartridge of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Implementation

To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this patent application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as “comprising” or “including” indicate that the element or object preceding “comprising” or “including” encompasses the element or object listed following “comprising” or “including” and its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, and these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described object changes.

The electric stapler includes a shaft assembly and an end effector located at the distal end of the shaft assembly. The end effector, for example, has an openable structure similar to a clamp and includes an anvil and a staple cartridge assembly. The staple cartridge assembly contains a replaceable staple cartridge to allow the end effector to be reused during operation. For example, during operation, various configurations of the staple cartridge assembly can be changed according to different properties of the tissue to be sutured, such as thickness and density. These different configurations of the staple cartridge assembly contain staples of different sizes, thereby improving the suturing effect.

However, existing electric staplers do not have the function of recognizing the status of the staple cartridge, which not only reduces the convenience of operating the electric stapler, but also poses a risk of misoperation.

Therefore, this disclosure provides a device for identifying the status of a staple cartridge for a surgical instrument, including: an end effector, a closure assembly, a drive motor, a current monitoring circuit, and a processing circuit. The end effector includes an anvil and a staple cartridge assembly operably connected to the anvil, the staple cartridge assembly being configured to receive a staple cartridge containing staples. The end effector includes a proximal end and a distal end opposite to each other. The closure assembly is configured to move along an axial direction from the proximal end to the distal end, and includes: a slidable closure member and a closure drive member for driving the closure member, the closure member having an initial position and a closed position, wherein the closure member, the staple cartridge assembly, and the staple cartridge are configured such that the staple cartridge assembly is moved closer to the anvil as the closure member moves from the initial position to the closed position. The drive motor is configured to provide driving force to the closure drive member under the action of a drive current. The current monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the maximum drive current value during the movement of the closure member from the initial position to the closed position. The processing circuit is electrically connected to the current monitoring circuit and configured to identify the presence of a staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly based on the maximum drive current value.

This disclosure also provides a surgical instrument, including a staple cartridge status recognition device provided in this disclosure.

This disclosure also provides a method for identifying the status of a staple cartridge in a surgical instrument, including: driving a closure component to move from an initial position to a closed position; monitoring the maximum driving current value during the process of the closure component moving from the initial position to the closed position; and identifying whether a staple cartridge exists in the staple cartridge assembly based on the maximum driving current value.

In the surgical instrument staple cartridge identification device and staple cartridge status identification method provided in the above-described embodiments, the maximum driving current value during the process of the closing component moving from the initial position to the closed position is monitored, and the presence of a staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly is identified based on the maximum driving current value, so as to achieve the purpose of identifying the staple cartridge status. This not only improves the convenience of surgical instrument operation, but also reduces the risk of instrument misoperation.

The present disclosure will now be described through specific embodiments. To keep the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure clear and concise, detailed descriptions of known functions and components may be omitted. When any component of an embodiment of the present disclosure appears in more than one drawing, the component may be represented by the same reference numerals in each drawing.

Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a staple cartridge identification device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3A is a top view of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3B is a cross-sectional schematic diagram taken along line A-A of Figure 3A. Figure 3C is another cross-sectional schematic diagram taken along line A-A of Figure 3A. Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a closure assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

For example, the surgical instrument provided in this disclosure includes an end effector 1, a shaft assembly 2, and a handle assembly 3. The end effector 1 includes an anvil 10 and a cartridge assembly 20 operably connected to the anvil 10, the cartridge assembly 20 being configured to accommodate a cartridge 22 containing suture staples. When the cartridge assembly 20 and the anvil 10 are far apart, the end effector 1 is in an open state. When the cartridge assembly 20 and the anvil 10 are close together, the end effector 1 is in a closed state. The end effector 1 is connected to the distal end of the shaft assembly 2, which is provided with drive components for performing closing and firing operations, such as a closing drive component 33 and a firing drive component (not shown). The handle assembly 3 includes a housing, and the surgical instrument also includes a drive motor 40, a current monitoring circuit 50, a processing circuit 60, and a power supply circuit 70 disposed within the housing. The power supply circuit 70 includes, for example, a reusable battery cell that can be inserted into the handle assembly 3 during use and removed from the handle assembly 3 after use.

For example, the surgical instrument also includes a closure assembly 30 for closing the end effector 1, the closure assembly 30 performing linear reciprocating motion. The end effector 1 includes a proximal end 1A and a distal end 1B opposite to each other. When the closure assembly 30 moves along an axis from the proximal end 1A to the distal end 1B (e.g., the +Z direction shown in the figure), the cartridge assembly 20 and the anvil 10 move closer to each other, and the end effector 1 is closed; when the closure assembly 30 moves in the opposite direction (e.g., the -Z direction shown in the figure), the cartridge assembly 20 and the anvil 10 move away from each other, and the end effector 1 is opened.

For example, the closing assembly 30 includes a closing member 31 and a closing drive member 33 that drives the closing member 33 to move linearly. The closing member 31 includes a first connecting portion 311 and a second connecting portion 312. The first connecting portion 311 is configured to slide with the anvil 10, and the second connecting portion 312 is configured to slide with the staple cartridge assembly 20. When the closing member 31 moves in the +Z direction, the anvil 10 and the staple cartridge assembly 20 can move closer to each other under the clamping action of the first connecting portion 311 and the second connecting portion 312, causing the end effector 1 to gradually close. When the closing member 31 moves in the -Z direction, the anvil 10 and the staple cartridge assembly 20 are no longer clamped, and they will move away from each other, and the end effector 1 will reopen. The closing member 31 and the driving closing member 33 can be connected by interlocking or in other ways, which is not limited in this embodiment.

For example, the pin cassette status recognition device provided in this embodiment includes an end effector 1, a closing component 30, a drive motor 40, a current monitoring circuit 50, and a processing circuit 60.

Referring to Figures 3A to 3C, the closing member 31 has an initial position P0 and a closed position Py. When the closing member 31 is in the initial position P0, the end effector 1 is in the open state. When the closing member 31 is in the closed position Py, the end effector 1 is in the closed state. As can be seen from Figure 3B, the suture staple has been fired because the pusher member 35 is close to the distal end. As shown in Figure 3C, after the suture staple is fired, the closing member 31 returns to the initial position P0, and the end effector 1 returns to the open state.

Figure 5A is a structural schematic diagram of the staple cartridge assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5B is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of Figure 5A. Figure 6A is a structural schematic diagram of the anvil according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6B is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of Figure 6A. Figure 6C is a structural schematic diagram of the spring in Figure 6A. Figure 7A is another top view of the surgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7B is a cross-sectional schematic diagram taken along line B-B of Figure 7A. Figure 7C is another cross-sectional schematic diagram taken along line B-B of Figure 7A.

For example, the staple cartridge 22 includes a staple ejection surface 220, which has a staple ejection area 222 and a non-staple ejection area 224, with the non-staple ejection area 224 located on the side of the staple ejection area 222 closer to the proximal end 1A. The staple ejection area 222 has a plurality of staple ejection slots 232, each containing a staple. When a staple is fired, it moves upward, causing its legs to extend from the staple ejection slots 232 and move toward the anvil 10. The target tissue is trapped between the staple cartridge assembly 20 and the anvil 10; therefore, the staple ejection surface 220 is also referred to as a tissue contact surface.

For example, the anvil 10 includes an anvil surface 110, which has an anvil area 112 and a non-anvil area 114. The non-anvil area 114 is located on the side of the anvil area 112 near the proximal end 1A. Multiple anvil seats 234 are provided in the anvil area 112, and each anvil seat 234 corresponds to a multiple staple exit groove 232. Thus, when the leg of the staple passes through the target tissue and reaches the anvil seat 234, the anvil seat 234 bends the leg of the staple into the tissue, achieving tissue suturing.

For example, the anvil 10 also includes at least one spring (e.g., the first spring 12a and the second spring 12b shown in the figure) disposed on the nail abutment surface 110. Both the first spring 12a and the second spring 12b extend toward the non-nail ejection area 224, so that when the nail cartridge assembly 20 moves closer to the anvil 10, the first spring 12a and the second spring 12b have the following positional relationship with the nail cartridge 10: when the nail cartridge 22 is installed in the nail cartridge assembly 20, both the first spring 12a and the second spring 12b abut against the non-nail ejection area 224 of the nail cartridge 22; when the nail cartridge 22 is not installed in the nail cartridge assembly 20, neither the first spring 12a nor the second spring 12b contacts the non-nail ejection area 224 of the nail cartridge 22. In this embodiment, "at least one spring" can mean either the first spring 12a, the second spring 12b, or both the first spring 12a and the second spring 12b.

For example, as shown in Figure 7B, when the staple cartridge 22 is not installed in the staple cartridge assembly 20, when the closing member 31 moves along the +Z direction, the staple cartridge assembly 20 moves closer to the anvil 10, but the spring (only the first spring 12a is shown in the figure) does not contact the non-discharge area 224 of the staple cartridge 22 because the staple cartridge 22 is not yet installed. As shown in Figure 7C, when the staple cartridge 22 is installed in the staple cartridge assembly 20, when the closing member 31 moves along the +Z direction, the staple cartridge assembly 20 moves closer to the anvil 10. At this time, the first spring 12a will abut against the non-discharge area 224 of the staple cartridge 22, thereby generating a force F that prevents the staple cartridge assembly 20 and the anvil 10 from moving closer to each other. However, in order to finally bring the end effector 1 to the closed state, the closing drive member 33 needs to overcome the above-mentioned resistance force F to drive the closing member 31 to continue moving along the +Z direction. Therefore, by increasing the current value of the drive current I, the driving force of the closing drive member 33 can be increased. This embodiment of the disclosure can identify whether there is a nail cartridge 22 in the nail cartridge assembly 20 by monitoring the maximum value of the driving current I, i.e., the maximum driving current value Imax.

Referring back to Figure 2, the power supply circuit 70 is electrically connected to the drive motor 40 and is used to apply a drive current I to the drive motor 40. Under the action of the drive current I, the drive motor 40 provides driving force to the closing drive component 33. In some embodiments, the drive motor 40 transmits the driving force to the transmission assembly via the power output shaft, and the transmission assembly then transmits the driving force to the closing drive component 33, thereby realizing power transmission. The current monitoring circuit 50 is connected to the drive motor 40 and is used to monitor the maximum drive current value Imax, i.e., the maximum value of current I, during the process of the closing component 31 moving from the initial position P0 to the closed position Py. The processing circuit 60 is electrically connected to the current monitoring circuit 50 and identifies whether the staple cartridge 22 is present in the staple cartridge assembly 20 based on the maximum drive current value Imax.

For example, the processing circuit 60 is further configured to: set a first current threshold I1, wherein the first current threshold I1 is greater than zero; and compare the maximum drive current value Imax with the first current threshold I1. When the maximum drive current value Imax is less than or equal to the first current threshold I1, it is determined that there is no nail cartridge 22 in the nail cartridge assembly 20; when the maximum drive current value Imax is greater than the first current threshold I1, it is determined that there is a nail cartridge 22 in the nail cartridge assembly 20.

The inventors discovered that in relevant surgical instruments, the end effector is a replaceable component. For example, referring to Figure 1, the distal assembly located to the left of the dotted line, including the end effector and part of the shaft assembly 2, can be completely disassembled. By providing circuits or wires that generate electrical connection signals in both the shaft assembly 2 and the distal assembly, and monitoring these electrical connection signals, it is possible to identify whether the distal assembly has been replaced, thereby further confirming whether a new staple cartridge needs to be installed.

However, the monitoring devices and methods described above cannot be applied to the surgical instruments of this disclosure. To reduce operating costs, the surgical instruments of this disclosure design the staple cartridge 22 as a replaceable component, while the shaft assembly 2, the anvil 10 in the end effector 1, and the base shell 24 are all reusable components. Because the staple cartridge 22 is made of plastic and is relatively small, it is difficult to design additional circuits or wires that can generate electrical connection signals within it.

In the surgical instrument of this embodiment, a spring is provided on the anvil 10, and the resistance F generated by the spring causes a change in the driving current I. The maximum driving current value Imax during the movement of the closing member 31 is monitored by the current monitoring circuit 50, and the processing circuit determines whether the staple cartridge 22 is installed based on the maximum driving current value. Compared with related technologies, this not only overcomes technical difficulties and achieves the purpose of identifying the status of the staple cartridge, but also requires minimal modification to existing surgical instruments and has low cost.

In this embodiment, the number of spring clips can be one or more, that is, two or more. This embodiment does not limit the number of spring clips. This embodiment uses two spring clips as an example for illustration. For example, the material of the spring clips includes metal; in some embodiments, the spring clips can be metal spring clips.

The specific structure of the second spring 12b is described below. For example, as shown in Figures 6A to 6C, the second spring 12b includes a head end E1 and a tail end E2 that are opposite to each other in its extending direction. The tail end E2 is connected to the non-anchor region 114, and the head end E1 is a cantilever end that extends toward the non-outlet region 224. When the staple cartridge assembly 20 moves closer to the anvil 10 and the staple cartridge 22 is present in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the cantilever end of the second spring 12b abuts against the non-outlet region 224, thereby generating a resistance force F. By connecting the tail end E2 to the non-anchor region 224, interference of the second spring 12b with the anchor seat in the anchor region 112 can be further avoided. By setting the head end E1 as a cantilever end, the second spring 12b can contact and abut against the non-outlet region 224 of the staple cartridge 22 as the staple cartridge assembly approaches the anvil, thereby generating a resistance force F. In some embodiments, the head end E1 is designed to have a curved shape, such as a hook shape, to avoid damaging the surface of the non-nail area 224.

For example, referring to Figures 4 to 6C, the anvil surface 110 has a groove 116 extending in the +Z direction, and the closing member 31 includes a cutting portion 313 that moves within the groove 116 when the closing member 31 moves. This allows for the cutting of target tissue during the movement of the closing member 31. The anvil region 112 includes a first anvil region 112a and a second anvil region 112b, located on opposite sides of the groove 116. The non-anvil region 114 includes a first non-anvil region 114a and a second non-anvil region 114b, located on opposite sides of the groove 116. A first spring tab 12a is connected to the first non-anvil region 114a, and a second spring tab 12b is connected to the second non-anvil region 114b. This configuration ensures that both shrapnel pieces can generate resistance while avoiding impact on the anvil in the anvil area.

For example, the nail-exiting surface 220 has opposing grooves 226 extending along the +Z direction. When the closing member 31 moves, the cutting part 313 moves simultaneously in both the groove 116 and the opposing groove 226. The nail-exiting area 222 includes a first nail-exiting area 222a and a second nail-exiting area 222b, which are located on opposite sides of the groove 116. The non-nail-exiting area 224 includes a first non-nail-exiting area 224a and a second non-nail-exiting area 224b, which are located on opposite sides of the groove 116. When the staple cartridge 22 is installed in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the first spring 12a abuts against the first non-staple ejection area 224a, and the second spring 12b abuts against the second non-staple ejection area 224b; when the staple cartridge 22 is not installed in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the first spring 12a does not contact the first non-staple ejection area 224a, and the second spring 12b does not contact the second non-staple ejection area 224b, that is, neither the first spring 12a nor the second spring 12b contacts the surface of the staple cartridge.

Referring back to Figure 3B, the closing member 31 also has a closing start position Px located between the initial position P0 and the closing position Py. When the closing member 31 is in the initial position P0, there is a maximum distance Dmax between the staple cartridge assembly 20 and the anvil 10; when the closing member 31 is in the closing position Py, there is a minimum distance Dmin between the staple cartridge assembly 20 and the anvil 10; when the closing member 31 is in the closing start position Px, the staple cartridge assembly 20 begins to move closer to the anvil 10, that is, it begins to shrink from the maximum distance to the minimum distance Dmin. In other words, at the closing start position Px, the closing member 31 begins to generate a clamping force on the end effector 1, and the end effector 1 begins to close.

For example, during the movement of the closing member 31 from the initial position P0 to the closed position Py, a momentary increase in drive current typically occurs when overcoming the resistance F of the spring. Therefore, to further reduce the monitoring time of the current, the current monitoring circuit 50 can be configured to monitor the initial maximum drive current value IOmax during the movement of the closing member 31 from the initial position P0 to the closed start position Px. Accordingly, the processing circuit 60 is configured to identify whether the staple cartridge 22 is present in the staple cartridge assembly 20 based on the initial maximum drive current value IOmax.

Figure 8A is a structural schematic diagram of the end effector of this embodiment in its initial state. Figure 8B is a structural schematic diagram of the internal structure of the end effector of Figure 8A. Figure 8C is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of region E in Figure 8B. Figure 9A is a structural schematic diagram of the end effector of this embodiment in its closed initial state. Figure 9B is a structural schematic diagram of the internal structure of the end effector of Figure 9A. Figure 9C is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of region F in Figure 9B. Figure 9D is another structural schematic diagram of the end effector of Figure 9A. Figure 9E is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of region G in Figure 9D.

For example, when the staple cartridge 22 is installed in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the closing member 31 is in the initial position P0, and the end effector 1 is in the open state. At this time, the first spring 12a is not in contact with the first non-staple ejection area 224a, and the second spring 12b is not in contact with the second non-staple ejection area 224b. Therefore, the driving current I driving the closing drive member 33 remains unchanged. When the closing member 31 moves to the initial closed position Px along the +Z direction, the first spring 12a contacts the first non-staple ejection area 224a and generates resistance, and the second spring 12b contacts the second non-staple ejection area 224b and generates resistance. At this time, the driving current I increases to the initial maximum driving current value IOmax.

For example, the processing circuit 60 is further configured to: set a first current threshold I1, which is greater than zero; and compare the initial maximum drive current value IOmax with the first current threshold I1. When the initial maximum drive current value IOmax is less than or equal to the first current threshold I1, it is determined that there is no staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20; when the initial maximum drive current value IOmax is greater than the first current threshold I1, it is determined that there is a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20. In this way, while being able to identify whether there is a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the monitoring current time can be further reduced, the power consumption of the device can be reduced, and the monitoring efficiency can be improved.

Figure 10 is another structural schematic diagram of the staple cartridge assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the staple cartridge assembly 20 further includes a bottom shell 24 defining an elongated channel 240 for receiving the staple cartridge 22 (as shown in Figure 7B), in which the staple cartridge 22 is detachably mounted. The staple cartridge assembly may also include a staple pusher assembly configured to eject staples from the staple cartridge 22. For example, the staple pusher assembly includes a staple pusher 35 located between the staple cartridge 22 and the bottom shell 24 and configured to move between a proximal position near the proximal end 1A of the end effector 1 (e.g., the position of the staple pusher 35 in Figure 10, also referred to as the non-firing position) and a distal position near the distal end 1B of the end effector 1 (e.g., the position of the staple pusher 35 in Figure 3B, also referred to as the firing position). For example, the staple pusher 35 includes an inclined surface configured to lift the staples in the staple cartridge 22 toward the anvil 10. In some embodiments, the pusher component 35 includes a plurality of inclined surfaces configured to slide beneath the pusher plate and lift the pusher plate and the suture staple supported on the pusher plate toward the anvil.

For example, when the pusher component 35 moves to the distal position, a gap G remains between the staple cartridge 22 and the base shell 24 at the proximal position, allowing the staple cartridge 22 to descend when the first spring 12a and the second spring 12b abut against the non-staple ejection area 224. When the pusher component 35 moves to the proximal position, the aforementioned gap G is occupied by the pusher component 35 (as shown in Figure 10). Thus, when the first spring 12a and the second spring 12b abut against the non-staple ejection area 224, the staple cartridge 22 has no descent space and remains stationary. This descent space allows for further determination of whether the suture staple has been fired.

For example, when the pusher component 35 is in the proximal position (i.e., the suture staple has not been fired), the force generated by each of the first spring 12a and the second spring 12b against the staple cartridge 22 is defined as the resistance force F1. When the pusher component 35 is in the distal position (i.e., the suture staple has been fired), the force generated by each spring against the staple cartridge 22 is defined as the resistance force F2. Therefore, F1 is greater than F2. This is because if the pusher component 35 in Figure 10 is moved to the distal position, a gap will appear at its original position. This gap allows the staple cartridge some room to descend when compressed (e.g., by the springs), thus offsetting part of the resistance force.

Based on the above principles, after identifying the presence of a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the staple cartridge status identification device of this embodiment can further identify whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge 22 have been fired, that is, determine whether the staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly is a new staple cartridge.

For example, when the current monitoring circuit 50 is configured to monitor the maximum drive current value Imax during the process of the closing member 31 moving from the initial position P0 to the closed position P2/Py, the processing circuit 60 is further configured to: set a second current threshold I2, wherein the second current threshold I2 is greater than the first current threshold I1; and compare the maximum drive current value Imax and the second current threshold I2. When the maximum drive current value Imax is greater than or equal to the second current threshold I2, it is determined that the staple has not been fired. When the maximum drive current value Imax is greater than the first current threshold I1 and less than or equal to the second current threshold I2, it is determined that the staple has been fired. With the above settings, it is possible to determine not only whether a staple cartridge exists, but also whether it is a new staple cartridge, without adding any additional structure. As another example, when the current monitoring circuit 50 is configured to monitor the initial maximum drive current value IOmax during the process of the closing member 31 moving from the initial position P0 to the closed start position Px, the processing circuit 60 is further configured to: set a second current threshold I2, wherein the second current threshold I2 is greater than the first current threshold I1; and compare the initial maximum drive current value IOmax and the second current threshold I2. If the initial maximum drive current value IOmax is greater than or equal to the second current threshold I2, it is determined that the staple has not been fired. If the initial maximum drive current value IOmax is greater than the first current threshold I1 and less than or equal to the second current threshold I2, it is determined that the staple has been fired. With these settings, the current monitoring time can be further shortened while still determining whether the staple cartridge is new.

For example, the first current threshold I1 ranges from 0.95 to 1.05 A, and the second current threshold I2 ranges from 1.15 to 1.25 A. In some embodiments, the first current threshold I1 is set to approximately 1 A, and the second current threshold I2 is set to approximately 1.1 A. The following uses the initial maximum drive current value IOmax as the monitored current to illustrate the pin cartridge identification process. First, the first current threshold I1 and the initial maximum drive current value IOmax are compared to determine whether a pin cartridge is installed. For example, when IOmax is less than or equal to 1 A, it is determined that there is no pin cartridge 22 in the pin cartridge assembly 20; when IOmax is greater than 1 A, it is determined that there is a pin cartridge 22 in the pin cartridge assembly 20. Then, the second current threshold I2 and the initial maximum drive current value IOmax are further compared to determine whether the suture pins in the pin cartridge 22 have been fired (i.e., whether it is a new pin cartridge). When IOmax is greater than 1 A and less than or equal to 1.1 A, it is determined that the suture pin has been fired; when IOmax is greater than 1.1 A, it is determined that the suture pin has not been fired. For example, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the drive current of the motor when running under no-load is approximately 1A, the initial maximum drive current value IOmax when a new staple cartridge is installed (i.e., the staple has not been fired) is approximately 1.2A, and the initial maximum drive current value IOmax when the staple cartridge is used (i.e., the staple has been fired) is approximately 1.1A. It should be noted that since the drive current when running under no-load remains unchanged, the initial maximum drive current value IOmax when running under no-load is also equal to the drive current when running under no-load.

Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method for recognizing the status of a staple cartridge of a surgical instrument according to an embodiment of this disclosure. For example, referring to Figures 1 to 11, the method for recognizing the status of a staple cartridge of a surgical instrument shown in Figures 1 to 10 includes:

S100: Drive the closing component 33 from the initial position P0 to the closed position Py;

S200: Monitors the maximum drive current value Imax during the process of the closed component 31 moving from the initial position P0 to the closed position Py; and

S300: Based on the maximum drive current value Imax, identify whether there is a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20.

For example, step S300 includes:

S301: Set a first current threshold I1, wherein the first current threshold I1 is greater than zero; and

S302: Compare the maximum driving current value Imax with the first current threshold I1. If the maximum driving current value Imax is less than or equal to the first current threshold I1, it is determined that the staple cartridge 22 is not present in the staple cartridge assembly 20; if the maximum driving current value Imax is greater than the first current threshold I1, it is determined that the staple cartridge 22 is present in the staple cartridge assembly 20. Compared with related technologies, the above-described staple cartridge status identification method not only overcomes technical difficulties and achieves the purpose of identifying the staple cartridge status, but also requires minimal modification to existing surgical instruments and has low cost.

In some embodiments, after identifying the presence of a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the staple cartridge status identification method of this disclosure may further include: identifying whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge 22 have been fired, that is, determining whether the staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly is a new staple cartridge.

For example, the above-mentioned method for identifying the status of nail storage also includes:

S400: Set a second current threshold I2, wherein the second current threshold I2 is greater than the first current threshold I1; and

S500: Compare the maximum drive current value Imax with the second current threshold I2. If the maximum drive current value Imax is greater than or equal to the second current threshold I2, it is determined that the suture staple has not been fired. If the maximum drive current value Imax is greater than the first current threshold I1 and less than or equal to the second current threshold I2, it is determined that the suture staple has been fired.

Through the above steps, without adding any additional structure, it is possible to not only determine whether a staple cartridge exists, but also whether it is a new staple cartridge. For example, in step S100, a closing start position Px is set between the initial position P0 and the closed position Py. The closing component 33 moves from the initial position P0 to the closed position Py via the closing start position Px. At the closing start position Px, the closing component 31 begins to generate a clamping force on the end effector 1. If a staple cartridge exists in the staple cartridge assembly at this time, the spring will abut against the staple cartridge, generating a resistance force F. Therefore, by monitoring the change in the driving current from the initial position P0 to the closing start position Px, it can be determined whether a staple cartridge exists in the staple cartridge assembly. Compared to monitoring the change in the driving current from the initial position P0 to the closed position Py, the monitoring time can be further shortened.

For example, step S200 above includes: monitoring the initial maximum drive current value IOmax during the process of the closing component 31 moving from the initial position P0 to the closing start position Px.

For example, step S300 above includes: identifying whether there is an implantation cartridge 22 in the implantation cartridge assembly 20 based on the initial maximum drive current value IOmax. Further, for example, identifying whether there is an implantation cartridge 22 in the implantation cartridge assembly 20 based on the initial maximum drive current value IOmax includes:

S301’: Set a first current threshold I1, wherein the first current threshold I1 is greater than zero; and

S302’: Compare the initial maximum drive current value IOmax with the first current threshold I1; wherein, when the initial maximum drive current value IOmax is less than or equal to the first current threshold I1, it is determined that there is no staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20; when the initial maximum drive current value IOmax is greater than the first current threshold I1, it is determined that there is a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20. In this way, while being able to identify whether there is a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the monitoring current time can be further reduced, the power consumption of the device can be reduced, and the monitoring efficiency can be improved.

In some embodiments, after identifying the presence of a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20, the staple cartridge status identification method of this disclosure may further include: identifying whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge 22 have been fired, that is, determining whether the staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly is a new staple cartridge.

For example, the above-mentioned method for identifying the status of nail storage devices further includes:

S400’: Set a second current threshold I2, wherein the second current threshold I2 is greater than the first current threshold I1; and

S500’: Compare the initial maximum drive current value IOmax with the second current threshold I2; wherein, when the initial maximum drive current value IOmax is greater than the second current threshold I2, it is determined that the suture staple has not been fired; when the initial maximum drive current value IOmax is greater than the first current threshold I1 and less than or equal to the second current threshold I2, it is determined that the suture staple has been fired.

In this embodiment, the first current threshold I1 ranges from 0.95 to 1.05 A, and the second current threshold I2 ranges from 1.15 to 1.25 A. In some embodiments, the first current threshold I1 is set to approximately 1 A, and the second current threshold I2 is set to approximately 1.1 A. The following describes the staple cartridge identification process using the initial maximum drive current value IOmax as an example. First, the first current threshold I1 and the initial maximum drive current value IOmax are compared to determine whether a staple cartridge is installed. For example, when IOmax is less than or equal to 1 A, it is determined that there is no staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20; when IOmax is greater than 1 A, it is determined that there is a staple cartridge 22 in the staple cartridge assembly 20. Then, the second current threshold I2 and the initial maximum drive current value IOmax are further compared to determine whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge 22 have been fired (i.e., whether it is a new staple cartridge). When IOmax is greater than 1A and less than or equal to 1.1A, it is determined that the suture pin has been fired; when IOmax is greater than 1.1A, it is determined that the suture pin has not been fired. For example, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the drive current of the motor when it is unloaded is approximately 1A, the initial maximum drive current value IOmax when a new suture cartridge is installed (i.e., the suture pin has not been fired) is approximately 1.2A, and the initial maximum drive current value IOmax after the suture cartridge has been used (i.e., the suture pin has been fired) is approximately 1.1A. It should be noted that since the drive current when it is unloaded remains unchanged, the initial maximum drive current value IOmax when it is unloaded is also equal to the drive current when it is unloaded.

In the surgical instrument staple cartridge identification device and staple cartridge status identification method provided in the above-described embodiments, the maximum driving current value during the process of the closing component moving from the initial position to the closed position is monitored, and the presence of a staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly is identified based on the maximum driving current value, so as to achieve the purpose of identifying the staple cartridge status. This not only improves the convenience of surgical instrument operation, but also reduces the risk of instrument misoperation.

The following points should be noted in this article:

(1) The accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this disclosure only involve the structures involved in the embodiments of this disclosure. Other structures can be referred to the general design.

(2) Where there is no conflict, the embodiments of this disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other to obtain new embodiments.

(3) The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. The scope of protection of this disclosure is determined by the appended claims.

Claims (20)

A staple cartridge status recognition device for surgical instruments includes: An end effector includes an anvil and a staple cartridge assembly operably connected to the anvil, the staple cartridge assembly being configured to receive a staple cartridge containing suture staples, the end effector including a proximal end and a distal end opposite to each other; A closure assembly configured to move along an axial direction from the proximal end to the distal end, the closure assembly comprising: a slidable closure member and a closure drive member for driving the closure member, the closure member having an initial position and a closed position, wherein the closure member, the staple cartridge assembly, and the staple cartridge are configured such that, as the closure member moves from the initial position to the closed position, the staple cartridge assembly is moved closer to the anvil; A drive motor is configured to provide driving force to the closed drive component under the action of a drive current; A current monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the maximum drive current value during the process of the closed component moving from the initial position to the closed position; and The processing circuit is electrically connected to the current monitoring circuit and configured to identify whether the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly based on the maximum drive current value. According to claim 1, the staple cartridge status identification device, wherein the processing circuit is further configured as follows: A first current threshold is set, wherein the first current threshold is greater than zero; and The maximum driving current value is compared with the first current threshold; wherein, when the maximum driving current value is less than or equal to the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge does not exist in the nail cartridge assembly; when the maximum driving current value is greater than the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge exists in the nail cartridge assembly. According to the staple cartridge status recognition device of claim 2, the processing circuit is further configured to: after recognizing the presence of the staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly, further recognize whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge have been fired. According to claim 3, the staple cartridge status identification device, wherein the processing circuit is further configured as follows: A second current threshold is set, wherein the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold; and The maximum driving current value is compared with the second current threshold; wherein, when the maximum driving current value is greater than the first current threshold and less than or equal to the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has been fired; when the maximum driving current value is greater than the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has not been fired. According to claim 4, the staple cartridge status identification device, wherein the first current threshold is 0.95 to 1.05 A, and the second current threshold is 1.15 to 1.25 A. The staple cartridge status identification device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The closing component also has a closing start position located between the initial position and the closing position; The closing member, the staple cartridge assembly, and the staple cartridge are configured such that: when the closing member is in the initial position, there is a maximum distance between the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil; when the closing member is in the closed position, there is a minimum distance between the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil; and when the closing member is in the closing start position, the staple cartridge assembly begins to move closer to the anvil. The current monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the initial maximum drive current value during the process of the closing component moving from the initial position to the closing start position; The processing circuit is configured to identify whether the staple cartridge exists in the staple cartridge assembly based on the initial maximum drive current value. According to the staple cartridge status identification device of claim 6, the processing circuit is further configured to: A first current threshold is set, wherein the first current threshold is greater than zero; and The initial maximum drive current value is compared with the first current threshold; wherein, when the initial maximum drive current value is less than or equal to the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge does not exist in the nail cartridge assembly; when the initial maximum drive current value is greater than the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge exists in the nail cartridge assembly. According to the staple cartridge status recognition device of claim 7, the processing circuit is further configured to: after determining that the staple cartridge exists in the staple cartridge assembly, further determine whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge have been fired. According to claim 8, the staple cartridge status identification device, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: A second current threshold is set, wherein the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold; and The initial maximum drive current value is compared with the second current threshold; wherein, when the initial maximum drive current value is greater than the first current threshold and less than or equal to the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture pin has been fired; when the initial maximum drive current value is greater than the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture pin has not been fired. The staple cartridge status identification device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The staple cartridge includes a staple ejection surface, which has a staple ejection area and a non-staple ejection area, wherein the non-staple ejection area is located on the side of the staple ejection area closer to the proximal end; The anvil includes an abutment surface and at least one spring piece disposed on the abutment surface. The spring piece extends toward the non-discharge area so that when the staple cartridge assembly moves closer to the anvil, the spring piece and the staple cartridge have the following positional relationship: when the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly, the spring piece abuts against the non-discharge area of the staple cartridge; when the staple cartridge is not present in the staple cartridge assembly, the spring piece does not contact the non-discharge area of the staple cartridge. According to the staple cartridge status identification device of claim 10, wherein, The anvil surface has an anvil area and a non-anvil area, the non-anvil area being located on the side of the anvil area closer to the proximal end; The at least one spring includes a head end and a tail end opposite to each other in its extending direction, the tail end being connected to the non-anchored area, and the head end being a protruding end extending toward the non-outlet area, such that when the staple cartridge assembly moves close to the anvil and the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly, the protruding end of the at least one spring abuts against the non-outlet area. According to the staple cartridge status recognition device of claim 11, the staple cartridge assembly further includes: A bottom shell defining an elongated channel for receiving the staple cartridge, the staple cartridge being detachably mounted in the elongated channel; A staple pusher assembly configured to push the staples out of the staple cartridge, the staple pusher assembly including a staple pusher component located between the staple cartridge and the bottom shell and configured to move between a proximal position near the proximal end and a distal position near the distal end; The pusher assembly is configured such that when the pusher component moves to the distal position, a gap is left between the nail cartridge and the bottom shell at the proximal position, so that the nail cartridge has room to descend when the spring abuts against the non-nail ejection area; when the pusher component moves to the proximal position, the gap is occupied by the pusher component, so that the nail cartridge remains stationary when the spring abuts against the non-nail ejection area. According to the staple cartridge status identification device of claim 11 or 12, wherein, The anvil surface has a groove extending along the axial direction, and the closing member includes a cutting portion configured to move within the groove; The anvil area includes a first anvil area and a second anvil area, which are located on opposite sides of the cutter groove, respectively. The non-anchored area includes a first non-anchored area and a second non-anchored area, which are located on opposite sides of the cutter groove, respectively. The at least one spring includes two springs, the two springs being a first spring and a second spring, the first spring being connected to the first non-nail area, and the second spring being connected to the second non-nail area. According to the staple cartridge status identification device of claim 13, wherein, The nail-out surface has opposing blade grooves extending along the axial direction, and the cutting part is configured to move simultaneously in the blade groove and the opposing blade groove; The nail ejection area includes a first nail ejection area and a second nail ejection area, which are located on opposite sides of the blade groove, respectively. The non-nail-out area includes a first non-nail-out area and a second non-nail-out area, which are located on opposite sides of the cutter groove, respectively. The first spring is configured such that when the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly, the first spring abuts against the first non-staple ejection area; when the staple cartridge is not present in the staple cartridge assembly, the first spring does not contact the first non-staple ejection area. The second spring is configured such that when the staple cartridge is present in the staple cartridge assembly, the second spring abuts against the second non-staple ejection area; when the staple cartridge is not present in the staple cartridge assembly, the second spring does not contact the second non-staple ejection area. A surgical instrument comprising the staple cartridge status recognition device as described in any one of claims 1 to 14. A method for recognizing the status of a staple cartridge in a surgical instrument includes: Drive the closing component to move from the initial position to the closed position; Monitor the maximum drive current value during the process of the closing component moving from the initial position to the closed position; and Based on the maximum drive current value, identify whether the staple cartridge exists in the staple cartridge assembly. According to the method for identifying the status of the nail cartridge according to claim 16, the step of identifying whether the nail cartridge exists in the nail cartridge assembly based on the maximum drive current value includes: A first current threshold is set, wherein the first current threshold is greater than zero; and The maximum driving current value is compared with the first current threshold; wherein, when the maximum driving current value is less than or equal to the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge does not exist in the nail cartridge assembly; when the maximum driving current value is greater than the first current threshold, it is determined that the nail cartridge exists in the nail cartridge assembly. According to the staple cartridge status identification method of claim 17, when the presence of the staple cartridge in the staple cartridge assembly is identified, the staple cartridge status identification method further includes: identifying whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge have been fired. According to the staple cartridge status recognition method of claim 18, the step of recognizing whether the suture staples in the staple cartridge have been fired includes: A second current threshold is set, wherein the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold; and The maximum driving current value is compared with the second current threshold; wherein, when the maximum driving current value is greater than the first current threshold and less than or equal to the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has been fired; when the maximum driving current value is greater than the second current threshold, it is determined that the suture staple has not been fired. According to any one of claims 16 to 19, the method for recognizing the status of a staple cartridge is wherein a closing start position is provided between the initial position and the closed position, and the closing component moves from the initial position through the closing start position to the closing start position; The monitoring of the maximum drive current value during the process of the closing component moving from the initial position to the closed position includes: Monitor the initial maximum drive current value during the process of the closing component moving from the initial position to the closing start position; The step of identifying whether the stapler is present in the stapler assembly based on the maximum drive current value includes: identifying whether the stapler is present in the stapler assembly based on the initial maximum drive current value.