US Patent Issued to Covidien on Aug. 11 for "Replaceable staple cartridge with retractable knife" (Connecticut Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 12 -- United States Patent no. 12,702,411, issued on Aug. 11, was assigned to Covidien LP (Mansfield, Mass.).

"Replaceable staple cartridge with retractable knife" was invented by Kenneth H. Whitfield (North Haven, Conn.) and Roanit A. Fernandes (Hamden, Conn.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly having a drive assembly, an anvil, and a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly includes a replaceable staple cartridge that includes an actuation sled assembly having an actuation sled, a knife bar, and a retractor link. The retractor link is secured to the knife bar such that the actuation sled assembly is movable through a car...