Patent ID: 7776065

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising an improved end effector assembly comprising: a housing; a pivot driver disposed within said housing and configured to reciprocate longitudinally within said housing; first and second gripping members extending from said housing; first actuation means for moving said first gripping member relative to said second gripping member, wherein said first actuation means comprise a first actuator being attached to a first end of a first actuator rod, and wherein said first actuator rod reciprocates longitudinally within said housing and within said pivot driver; wherein said first gripping member comprises a first jaw element, a second jaw element and a drive element and wherein said first jaw element comprises a first end pivotally connected to a first location of said housing and a second end pivotally connected to a first location of a first end of said second jaw element; wherein said drive element comprises a first end pivotally connected to a first location of said pivot driver and a second end pivotally connected to a second location of said first end of said second jaw element; and means for adjusting the distance between said first housing location and said first pivot driver location and wherein adjusting of said distance establishes a desired angular orientation between said first and second jaw elements.