US Patent 9138225 Surgical stapling instrument with an articulatable end effector

In various embodiments, a surgical instrument can comprise an end effector including a staple cartridge and a datum portion positioned proximal to the staple cartridge. The surgical instrument can further comprise a shaft and an articulation joint configured to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft. In addition, the surgical instrument can further comprise a firing member configured to deploy a plurality of staples from the staple cartridge and a drive assembly including a drive member configured to move the firing member. The drive assembly may also include a stop configured to engage the datum portion to limit the movement of the drive member after the plurality of staples are fired.