Patent ID: 8298231

Claim:
An electro surgical instrument comprising: a first leg having a first leg conductive shearing surface and a first leg conductive side surface; a second leg movably mounted to the first leg, the first leg and second leg movable between an open position and a closed position, the second leg having a second leg non-conductive shearing surface, a second leg first conductive surface, and a second leg second conductive surface, wherein contacting portions of the first leg conductive shearing surface and the second leg non-conductive shearing surface define an imaginary shearing plane, the imaginary shearing plane extending beyond the contacting portions substantially parallel to at least one of the second leg non-conductive shearing surface or the first leg conductive shearing surface, wherein the second leg second conductive surface extends at least partially from the second leg into the imaginary shearing plane; and wherein at least one of the first leg conductive side surface or the first leg conductive shearing surface is configured to be in selective electrical communication with the second leg first conductive surface as the first and second legs are moved toward the closed position, wherein the first leg conductive side surface is in selective electrical communication with the second leg second conductive surface when the first leg conductive shearing surface and the second leg non-conductive shearing surface are contacting.