Patent ID: 8491626

Claim:
An endoscopic forceps, comprising: a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom and defines a longitudinal axis therethrough; an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft and including a pair of first and second jaw members, the first and second jaw members pivotably coupled to one another and movable relative to one another from a first configuration wherein the jaw members are in spaced relation relative to one another, to a second configuration wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween; and a magnetic actuation mechanism including at least three permanent magnets operably associated with at least one of the first and second jaw members and configured to generate opposing magnetic fields therebetween to actuate the jaw member between the first and second configurations, wherein at least two of the at least three permanent magnets are operably disposed on one of the first and second jaw members and at least one of the at least three permanent magnets is operably disposed on the other one of the first and second jaw members at a location that is proximal a pivoting member that pivotably couples the first and second jaw members, wherein the at least two magnets are movable relative to the at least one permanent magnet.