An electrode assembly for an electrosurgical pencil, comprising:
- an insulative housing including a longitudinal axis;
- a locking plate including:
- a first proximal free end pivotably coupled to a first side of a distal end of the insulative housing;
- a second proximal free end opposite the first proximal free end and pivotably coupled to a second side of the distal end of the insulative housing opposite the first side;
- a distal connector portion joining the first and second proximal free ends;
- an inner cavity defined between the distal connector portion and the first and second proximal free ends, wherein at least a portion of the distal end of the insulative housing is received within the inner cavity;
- a first series of locking holes defined through a first side of the locking plate;
- and
- a second series of locking holes defined through a second side of the locking plate opposite the first side such that the locking holes of the second series of locking holes are aligned with corresponding locking holes of the first series of locking holes;
- a tip assembly coupled to a distal end of the locking plate and configured to treat tissue;
- a first locking finger extending distally from the distal end of the insulative housing;
- and
- a second locking finger extending distally from the distal end of the insulative housing, wherein each of the first and second locking fingers are configured to:
- flex outward relative to the longitudinal axis and away from the other locking finger upon release of a biasing force imparted on the first and second locking fingers by the respective first and second sides of the locking plate such that the first and second locking fingers are received through a locking hole of one of the first or second series of locking holes upon rotation of the locking plate to align the first locking finger with a locking hole of the first series of locking holes and the second locking finger with a locking hole of the second series of locking holes that is aligned with the locking hole of the first series of locking holes with which the first locking finger is aligned, thereby preventing rotation of the locking plate and the tip assembly relative to the longitudinal axis;
- and
- flex inward toward the longitudinal axis under a bias imparted on the first and second locking fingers by an inner surface of the respective first and second sides of the locking plate such that the first and second locking fingers are not received within any one locking hole of the respective first or second series of locking holes, thereby allowing rotation of the locking plate.