Electrical power output control based on mechanical forces

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• a shaft comprising an electrical pathway;
• a closable jaw assembly, comprising:
• a first jaw, comprising:
• a tissue cutting blade;
• and
• an electrode in electrical communication with said electrical pathway;
• and
• a second jaw;
• a pivot, wherein said first jaw is rotatable about said pivot;
• a drive system comprising an electric motor operably engaged with said first jaw, wherein said drive system is configured to apply a mechanical cutting force to the tissue with said tissue cutting blade through the rotation of said first jaw about said pivot;
• a power supply system in electrical communication with said electrical pathway configured to apply an electrosurgical cutting force to the tissue through said electrode;
• and
• a control system configured to adjust the mechanical cutting force applied to the tissue by said tissue cutting blade through the rotation of said first jaw about said pivot in response to the electrosurgical cutting force applied to the tissue, wherein said control system is configured to monitor the current of the electrosurgical cutting force and change the mechanical cutting force applied to the tissue based on the monitored current,
• wherein said control system is configured to increase a speed of said electrical motor when said electrosurgical cutting force increases.

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• a shaft comprising an electrical pathway;
• a closable jaw assembly, comprising:
• a first jaw comprising a tissue cutting blade;
• and
• a second jaw comprising an electrode in electrical communication with said electrical pathway;
• a pivot, wherein at least one of said first jaw is rotatable about said pivot;
• a drive system comprising an electric motor operably engaged with said closable jaw assembly, wherein said drive system is configured to apply a mechanical cutting force to the tissue with said tissue cutting blade through the rotation of at least one of said first jaw and said second jaw about said pivot;
• a power supply system in electrical communication with said electrical pathway configured to apply an electrosurgical cutting force to the tissue through said electrode;
• and
• a control system configured to adjust a first magnitude of the electrosurgical cutting force in response to a second magnitude of the mechanical cutting force applied to the tissue by said tissue cutting blade through the rotation of said first jaw about said pivot, wherein said control system is configured to monitor the current drawn by said electric motor during the rotation of said first jaw about said pivot and change the electrosurgical cutting force applied to the tissue through said electrode based on the monitored current drawn by said electric motor,
• wherein said control system is configured to monitor the current drawn by said electric motor and change a speed of said electric motor to control a closing speed of said jaw assembly,
• wherein said control system is configured to increase said electrosurgical cutting force when said electrical motor is sped up by said control system.

A surgical bipolar forceps instrument, comprising:

• a shaft comprising a first electrical pathway and a second electrical pathway;
• a closable jaw assembly, comprising:
• a first jaw, comprising:
• a first tissue cutting blade;
• and
• a first electrically-conductive portion in electrical communication with said first electrical pathway;
• and
• a second jaw, comprising:
• a second tissue cutting blade;
• and
• a second electrically-conductive portion in electrical communication with said second electrical pathway;
• a pivot, wherein at least one of said first jaw and said second jaw are rotatable about said pivot;
• a drive system comprising an electric motor operably engaged with at least one of said first jaw and said second jaw, wherein said drive system is configured to apply a mechanical cutting force to the tissue with said first tissue cutting blade and said second tissue cutting blade through the rotation of at least one of said first jaw and said second jaw about said pivot;
• a power supply system in electrical communication with said first electrical pathway and said second electrical pathway configured to apply an electrosurgical cutting force to the tissue through at least one of said first electrically-conductive portion and said second electrically-conductive portion;
• and
• a control circuit configured to adjust a magnitude of the mechanical cutting force applied to the tissue by said first tissue cutting blade and said second tissue cutting blade through the rotation of said at least one of said first jaw and said second jaw about said pivot in response to a magnitude of the electrosurgical cutting force applied to the tissue, wherein said control circuit is configured to monitor the current of the electrosurgical cutting force and change the mechanical cutting force applied to the tissue based on the monitored current,
• wherein said control circuit is configured to increase a speed of said electrical motor when said electrosurgical cutting force increases.