1. A surgical device, comprising:
a loading unit having a cartridge assembly, anvil assembly, and a stapling drive member with a flange that engages at least one of the cartridge assembly and anvil assembly, the loading unit having a body portion; and
a mechanical feature on the at least one of the cartridge assembly and anvil assembly, the mechanical feature being arranged to be engaged by the flange, the mechanical feature being indicative of an aspect of the loading unit.
2. The surgical device according to claim 1, further comprising a handle portion and an elongate portion.
3. The surgical device according to claim 2, wherein the elongate portion is an adapter assembly having a distal end for removably connecting to the loading unit and a proximal end for removably connecting to the handle portion.
4. The surgical device according to claim 3, wherein the elongate portion has at least one drive member for connecting to and driving the stapling drive member.
5. The surgical device according to claim 2, wherein the handle portion has a controller.
6. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the loading unit has a sensor for determining the gap between the anvil assembly and cartridge assembly.
7. The surgical device according to claim 2, wherein the handle portion includes a motor with an output shaft.
8. The surgical device according to claim 7, wherein the handle portion includes a sensor for determining the torque on the output shaft of the motor.
9. The surgical device according to claim 5, wherein the handle portion includes a motor and the controller monitors the current of the motor.
10. The surgical device according to claim 5, wherein the controller includes a memory unit.
11. The surgical device according to claim 10, wherein the loading unit has a sensor for determining clamping pressure.
12. The surgical device according to claim 11, wherein the clamping pressure is saved in the memory unit.
13. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical feature is selected from a group consisting of a coating, a texture, a depression, and a protrusion.
14. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical feature is selected from a group consisting of depressions, depressions and protrusions, and protrusions.
15. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the anvil assembly includes an anvil with a ramped surface.
16. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical feature is defined on the ramped surface.
17. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical feature is proximal to the ramped surface.
18. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge assembly has a channel.
19. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical feature is defined on the channel.
20. The surgical device according to claim 5, wherein the controller saves data concerning the use of the surgical device.
21. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge assembly has linear rows of staples.
22. The surgical device according to claim 21, wherein the mechanical feature indicates a length of the linear rows.
23. The surgical device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical feature indicates the size of the staples.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A method for restricting lanes in a supply chain management framework, comprising:
a) displaying a plurality of distribution centers of a supply chain utilizing a graphical user interface;
b) designating a lane restriction of each of the distribution centers utilizing the graphical user interface; and
c) conditionally involving the distribution centers in a supply chain analysis based on the designation.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein it is determined whether a supplier site has been excluded from the supply chain analysis, and the lane is involved in the supply chain analysis based on determination.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the lane is allocated prior to the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as required.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the lane is excluded during the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as excluded.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the lane is included during the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as to be solved.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the designation is received utilizing a network.
7. A system for restricting lanes in a supply chain management framework, comprising:
a) logic for displaying a plurality of distribution centers of a supply chain utilizing a graphical user interface;
b) logic for designating a lane restriction of each of the distribution centers utilizing the graphical user interface; and
c) logic for conditionally involving the distribution centers in a supply chain analysis based on the designation.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein it is determined whether a supplier site has been excluded from the supply chain analysis, and the lane is involved in the supply chain analysis based on determination.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the lane is allocated prior to the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as required.
10. The system of claim 7, wherein the lane is excluded during the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as excluded.
11. The system of claim 7, wherein the lane is included during the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as to be solved.
12. The system of claim 7, wherein the designation is received utilizing a network.
13. A computer program product for restricting lanes in a supply chain management framework, comprising:
a) computer code for displaying a plurality of distribution centers of a supply chain utilizing a graphical user interface;
b) computer code for designating a lane restriction of each of the distribution centers utilizing the graphical user interface; and
c) computer code for conditionally involving the distribution centers in a supply chain analysis based on the designation.
14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein it is determined whether a supplier site has been excluded from the supply chain analysis, and the lane is involved in the supply chain analysis based on determination.
15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the lane is allocated prior to the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as required.
16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the lane is excluded during the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as excluded.
17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the lane is included during the supply chain analysis upon the lane restriction of the distribution centers being designated as to be solved.
18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the designation is received utilizing a network.