A surgical stapler, or fastening instrument, may generally comprise a layer, such as a tissue thickness compensator, for example, releasably attached to a fastener cartridge and/or anvil by a flowable attachment portion. The flowable attachment portion may be indefinitely flowable. The flowable attachment portion may be flowable from the time that layer is installed to the fastener cartridge to the time in which the layer is implanted to patient tissue. The flowable attachment portion may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive. The flowable attachment portion may comprise an adhesive laminate comprising a base layer comprising the tissue thickness compensator and an adhesive layer on at least a portion of a surface of the base layer comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive. Articles of manufacture comprising flowable attachment portion and methods of making and using the flowable attachment portion are also described.

A reload assembly includes a shell housing, a knife carrier, and a one-way collar. The knife carrier is movably positioned about an inner housing portion of the shell housing between retracted and advanced positions and supports a snap-ring. The one-way collar is movably supported about the inner housing portion of the shell housing from a retracted position to an advanced position in response to movement of the knife carrier from its retracted position to its advanced position. The snap-ring is movable with the knife carrier to a position proximally of the one-way collar when the one-way collar is in its advanced position to obstruct movement of the knife carrier back towards its advanced position.

A surgical stapler, or fastening instrument, may generally comprise a layer, such as a tissue thickness compensator, for example, releasably attached to a fastener cartridge and/or anvil by a flowable attachment portion. The flowable attachment portion may be indefinitely flowable. The flowable attachment portion may be flowable from the time that layer is installed to the fastener cartridge to the time in which the layer is implanted to patient tissue. The flowable attachment portion may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive. The flowable attachment portion may comprise an adhesive laminate comprising a base layer comprising the tissue thickness compensator and an adhesive layer on at least a portion of a surface of the base layer comprising the pressure sensitive adhesive. Articles of manufacture comprising flowable attachment portion and methods of making and using the flowable attachment portion are also described.

A fastener driver includes a housing, a cylinder disposed within the housing, and a piston positioned and moveable within the cylinder. The fastener driver additionally includes a nosepiece at least partially defining a fastener driving track through which fasteners are driven, and a driver blade attached to the piston and moveable with the piston to drive the fasteners through the fastener driving track. The driver blade includes an axial guiding projection for guiding the driver blade within the nosepiece, and wherein the projection terminates before a distal end of the driver blade.

A device functioning as a stapler. The device including a viewing region within an arm of the stapler. The viewing region adapted to provide a user of the device with a view of an interior of a magazine within the arm of the stapler, wherein a user of the device can determine the amount of staples within the magazine without having to open the device. The device further includes an integrated staple removal tool received within a base portion of the device.

A nailing unit and a nail gun comprising said nailing unit comprises a guide plate, a nail box to mount U nails or T nails, and a nail feeding plate slidably connected to said nail compartment; said nail box is fixedly connected to said guide plate at one end, and forms a nail outlet at the position of connection; said nail feeding plate can push U nails or T nails to the nail outlet; bumps are fixedly provided inboard of said guide plate lengthwise; said bumps and the nail outlet form a nail discharge groove for matching the nailing plate, and suit to different specifications of T nails or U nails.

A magazine for a fastener tool comprising a first guideway for heads of fastener elements of a first type, the first guideway extending in a direction (A) and being configured to position tips of the fastener elements of first type near a front edge extending substantially parallel to the direction (A); and comprising a second guideway for heads of fastener elements of a second type, the fastener elements of the first type having a different length from that of the fastener elements of second type, the second guideway being configured to position tips of the fastener elements of second type near the front edge. The magazine further comprises a poka-yoke configured to prevent inserting of the fastener elements of second type in the first guideway.

A staple insertion device includes a staple drive chamber, staple reservoir, staple feed mechanism, and staple drive member. The staple drive chamber is formed between a backing plate and a jam plate removably attached to the backing plate. The staple reservoir is configured to receive and hold a plurality of staples and extends from the backing plate to a staple reservoir terminal plate. The staple feed mechanism is operatively connected to the staple reservoir and is configured to feed the plurality of staples from the staple reservoir into the staple drive chamber through the backing plate. The staple drive member is configured to advance downwardly through the staple drive chamber so as to drive a staple out of the staple drive chamber.

A staple insertion device includes a staple drive chamber, staple reservoir, staple feed mechanism, and staple drive member. The staple drive chamber is formed between a backing plate and a jam plate removably attached to the backing plate. The staple reservoir is configured to receive and hold a plurality of staples and extends from the backing plate to a staple reservoir terminal plate. The staple feed mechanism is operatively connected to the staple reservoir and is configured to feed the plurality of staples from the staple reservoir into the staple drive chamber through the backing plate. The staple drive member is configured to advance downwardly through the staple drive chamber so as to drive a staple out of the staple drive chamber.

A handheld guide for advancing and installing a decking fastener with an elongate track with a rail and an advancement member. The advancement member carries a pivoting pawl with an engagement surface for advancing fasteners forward through the track to an installation position with a frontmost fastener aligned with a screw guide for driving a screw through the frontmost fastener. The rail has a ramp transitioning to a cliff and a lower ledge such that the frontmost fastener is maintained forward of the cliff above the ledge in the installation position. The pawl pivots to disengage from the fasteners when the advancement member moves rearwardly along the track.