Deflectable electrode with higher distal bias relative to proximal bias

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• a housing;
• an ultrasonic transducer;
• and
• an end-effector comprising:
• a clamp arm;
• and
• an ultrasonic blade configured coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and electrically coupled to a pole of an electrical generator;
• wherein the clamp arm comprises:
• a clamp jaw defining a plurality of zones along the clamp jaw;
• at least one spring disposed in each of the plurality of zones,
• wherein the spring bias force of a first spring in a first zone is different from the spring bias force of a second spring in a second zone;
• and
• a cantilever electrode electrically coupled to an opposite pole of the electrical generator, wherein the cantilever electrode is disposed along the plurality of zones and in contact with the each of the springs to apply a variable spring bias along the length of the cantilever electrode, wherein the cantilever electrode is fixed to the clamp jaw at a proximal end and free to deflect at a distal end.

An end-effector, comprising:

• an ultrasonic blade;
• a clamp arm defining a first zone and a second zone distally spaced from the first zone;
• a first spring positioned in the first zone, wherein the first spring comprises a first spring constant;
• a second spring positioned in the second zone, wherein the second spring comprises a second spring constant different than the first spring constant;
• and
• an electrode coupled to the first spring and the second spring, wherein the electrode is fixed to the clamp jaw at a proximal end and free to deflect at a distal end.