Patent ID: 8083737

Claim:
A surgical instrument for providing a gas to a surgical site, comprising: a receptacle for receiving at least one cylinder of pressurized surgical gas; a frame having a proximal end and a distal end, the frame defining a port near the distal end for emitting the surgical gas; an electrode disposed adjacent the distal end of the frame, the electrode adapted for connection to a source of electrosurgical energy; a passageway extending between the receptacle and the port defined in the frame, the passageway for delivering the surgical gas to the electrode; and a puncture assembly for rupturing a seal defined by a cylinder to release the surgical gas into the passageway, the puncture assembly comprising: at least one spring movable between a first state for storing mechanical energy and a relaxed state; an actuator operable to move the spring to the relaxed state; at least one puncture pin operatively coupled to the spring such that the mechanical energy released by movement of the spring to the relaxed state is effective to move the puncture pin relative to a cylinder to rupture the seal; and a gear rack and a pinion gear, wherein the puncture pin is operatively coupled to the spring via the gear rack and the pinion gear such that movement of the spring to the relaxed state induces longitudinal motion in the gear rack, and the longitudinal motion in the gear rack induces rotational motion in the pinion gear.