US Patent 11913483 Insulated staple and staple collation

An insulated staple includes a staple including a crown extending between a pair of legs and an insulator including an insulator bridge extending between a pair of insulator legs and a channel extending from an end of one of the insulator legs to an end of the other of the insulator legs. The staple is at least partially received in the channel. A width of the channel at the insulator bridge is greater than a thickness of the staple crown. The insulator includes protrusions extending into the channel and defining therebetween a gap that, in absence of the staple, has a width less than the width of the staple crown to provide a friction fit between the staple crown and the insulator.