Patent ID: 11931097
Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
an elongated shaft;
an end effector coupled to a distal end portion of the elongated shaft and including opposing first and second jaw members, the end effector configured to move between an open configuration, in which the first and second jaw members define a first gap therebetween, and a closed configuration, in which the first and second jaw members define a second gap therebetween, smaller than the first gap;
a drive shaft operably coupled to the end effector to move the end effector between the open and closed configurations; and
a switch assembly including:
a first electrical contact coupled to the drive shaft and configured to move with the drive shaft;
a second electrical contact configured to be engaged by the first electrical contact in response to a movement of the drive shaft to sense an angle between the first and second jaw members; and
a third electrical contact coupled to the drive shaft and configured to move with the drive shaft, wherein the third electrical contact is disposed within the first electrical contact and configured to engage the second electrical contact in response to movement of the drive shaft.