Patent ID: 8162973

Claim:
An end effector for a surgical instrument comprising: a fixed member defining an end effector axis and providing mounting surfaces for attachment to a distal end of the surgical instrument; a pair of jaw members configured to move between an open and closed configuration; a force transfer member configured for longitudinal motion with respect to the fixed member along the end effector axis, the force transfer member including at least one flange having a distal face, the distal face of the at least one flange configured to press against a proximal face of at least one of the jaw members of the pair of jaw members and transfer a longitudinal force thereto when the pair of jaws is in closed configuration, and the distal face of the at least one flange configured to disengage the proximal face of the at least one jaw members when the pair of jaws is in the open configuration; and a reactive member coupled to the fixed member and to the at least one of the jaw members of the pair of jaw members such that a reactionary force resulting from the force transferred to the at least one jaw member of the pair of jaw member is realized in the reactive member.