Patent ID: 7799028

Claim:
A bipolar electrosurgical instrument, comprising: a housing; a handle assembly operatively associated with the housing; a shaft extending from the housing, the shaft defining a longitudinal axis; an end effector operatively associated with a distal end of the shaft, the end effector comprising: a first jaw member pivotably coupled to the distal end of the shaft; a second jaw member pivotably coupled to the distal end of the shaft and in juxtaposed relation to the first jaw member, the first and second jaw members being movable from a first orientation in which the first and the second jaw member are axially aligned with the longitudinal axis and a plurality of second orientations in which the first and second jaw members are angled with respect to the longitudinal axis, the first and second jaw members having an open condition in which the first and second jaws members are spaced from one another and a closed condition in which the first and second jaw members are substantially in close proximity to one another, the second jaw member comprising a plurality of inter-engagement elements; a locking mechanism operatively associated with the second jaw member, the locking mechanism comprising: a locking shaft extending longitudinally through the shaft, the locking shaft having a distal end operatively associated with the second jaw member and including a locking pin extending transversely from the distal end of the locking shaft, the locking pin selectively engagable with each of the plurality of inter-engagement elements of the second jaw member; and an actuation mechanism operatively connected to the first jaw member, the actuation mechanism comprising: an actuation shaft reciprocally and rotatably disposed in the locking shaft, the actuation shaft having a distal end and a proximal end; and a band having a proximal end operatively connected to the distal end of the actuation shaft, and a distal end extending through an aperture formed in the distal end of the locking shaft and operatively connected to the first jaw member.