Patent ID: 8764747

Claim:
A surgical instrument, comprising: a handle comprising a trigger; a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises: a firing member operably coupled with said trigger, wherein said firing member is sequentially movable between an initial position, a first deployed position, and a second deployed position, and wherein an actuation of said trigger is configured to impart a firing motion to said firing member and move said firing member between said initial position and said first deployed position and between said first deployed position and said second deployed position; a first conductor; a second conductor; and a return conductor, wherein said return conductor is electrically insulated from said first conductor and said second conductor, and wherein said second conductor is electrically insulated from said first conductor; a cutting member operably coupled with said firing member; an end effector, comprising: a proximal end operably engaged with said shaft; a distal end; a first jaw, comprising: a first electrode comprised of a positive temperature coefficient material, wherein said first conductor is electrically coupled with said first electrode; and a second electrode comprised of a positive temperature coefficient material, wherein said first electrode is positioned proximally with respect to said second electrode, and wherein said second conductor is electrically coupled with said second electrode; and a second jaw, wherein one of said first jaw and said second jaw is movable relative to the other of said first jaw and said second jaw, wherein said second jaw further comprises a return electrode, and wherein said return conductor is electrically coupled to said return electrode; and a controller configured to: electrically couple said first conductor with a power source when said firing member is moved into said first deployed position; and electrically couple said second conductor with a power source when said firing member is moved into said second deployed position.