Jaw member, end effector assembly, and method of manufacturing a jaw member of an electrosurgical instrument

An end effector assembly of a surgical instrument, comprising:

• a clevis;
• a fixed jaw member fixed relative to the clevis;
• and
• a pivotable jaw member pivotable relative to the fixed jaw member and the clevis,
• wherein the fixed jaw member includes:
• a structural frame;
• an insulative spacer supported on the structural frame, the insulative spacer including a channel extending from an upper portion of the insulative spacer, through the insulative spacer, to a bottom portion of the insulative spacer, the channel having first and second radiused corners at the bottom portion of the insulative spacer;
• an electrically conductive tissue contacting plate supported on the insulative spacer;
• and
• a lead wire attached to an underside of the electrically conductive tissue contacting plate at an attachment point, the lead wire extending from the attachment point into the channel, through the channel, around the first and second radiused corners, and proximally into the clevis, and
• wherein the pivotable jaw member includes an electrically conductive tissue contacting plate and a lead wire connected thereto, and wherein the lead wires are adapted to connect to a source of energy to conduct energy between the electrically conductive tissue contacting plates of the fixed and pivotable jaw members and through tissue grasped therebetween for treating tissue.

A method of manufacturing a jaw member of a surgical instrument, comprising:

• attaching a lead wire to an underside of an electrically conductive tissue contacting plate at an attachment point;
• positioning the electrically conductive tissue contacting plate on an insulative spacer such that the attachment point is disposed within a pocket of the insulative spacer;
• routing the lead wire through a channel defined within the insulative spacer from the pocket at an upper portion of the insulative spacer, through the insulative spacer, to a bottom portion of the insulative spacer, wherein the channel has a substantially U-shaped configuration with first and second radiused corners and wherein the lead wire is routed around the first radiused corner such that an extending portion of the lead wire extends proximally from the insulative spacer first radiused corner;
• manipulating the extending portion of the lead wire to extend straight in a longitudinal direction;
• overmolding material into the pocket and a portion of the channel;
• and
• manipulating the extending portion of the lead wire to go around the second radiused corner.