Patent ID: 8734443

Claim:
A bipolar forceps, comprising: a housing; a shaft affixed to the housing having jaw members at a distal end thereof, the shaft having a longitudinal axis defined therethrough, the jaw members adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal; a drive assembly that moves the jaw members relative to one another from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members are closer to one another for manipulating tissue; a movable handle rotatable about a pivot to force a drive flange of the drive assembly to move the jaw members between the first and second positions, the pivot located a fixed distance above the longitudinal axis and the drive flange located generally along the longitudinal axis; and a knife assembly having a movable knife rod that operatively engages a knife blade, the knife rod having a first longitudinal section having a first predetermined shape and a second longitudinal section having a second predetermined shape, wherein the first and second longitudinal sections are separated by a third longitudinal section having a circular cross-section and the first predetermined shape is different than the second predetermined shape such that at least a onion of a profile of the knife rod increases from a proximal end thereof toward a distal end thereof.