End effector drive mechanisms for surgical instruments such as for use in robotic surgical systems

A robotic surgical system, comprising:

• an electrosurgical instrument, including:
• an instrument housing having a shaft extending therefrom;
• an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft, the end effector assembly including first and second jaw members at least one of which is movable relative to the other to grasp tissue;
• and
• an input operably coupled to the instrument housing and configured to move the at least one of the jaw members;
• and
• at least one handle remotely disposed relative to the instrument housing and configured to communicate with the input for controlling the jaw members, the at least one handle including:
• a housing having a lever operably coupled thereto, the lever, upon movement thereof, cooperating with the input to impart movement of the at least one of the jaw members, wherein initial movement of the lever towards the housing from an unactuated position to a first position imparts movement to the at least one of the jaw members to grasp tissue with a grasping pressure to inhibit damage to tissue, wherein subsequent movement of the lever towards the housing beyond the first position imparts movement to the at least one of the jaw members to grasp tissue with a sealing pressure to seal tissue between the jaw members upon activation of electrosurgical energy, and wherein, once the sealing pressure is reached, the sealing pressure is maintained in response to further movement of the lever towards the housing.

A robotic surgical system, comprising:

• an electrosurgical instrument, including:
• an instrument housing having a shaft extending therefrom;
• an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft, the end effector assembly including first and second jaw members at least one of which is movable relative to the other to grasp tissue;
• and
• an input operably coupled to the instrument housing and configured to move the at least one of the jaw members;
• and
• at least one handle remotely disposed relative to the instrument housing and configured to communicate with the input for controlling the jaw members, the at least one handle including:
• a housing having a lever operably coupled thereto, the lever movable relative to the housing between a first lever position and a second lever position;
• and
• a switch operably disposed on at least one of the lever or the housing, the switch movable between a first switch position and a second switch position, wherein:
• with the switch disposed in the first switch position, movement of the lever from the first lever position to the second lever position cooperates with the input to impart movement to the jaw members to grasp tissue with a grasping pressure within a grasping pressure range to inhibit damage to tissue, and
• with the switch disposed in the second switch position, movement of the lever from the first lever position to the second lever position cooperates with the input to impart movement to the jaw members to grasp tissue with a sealing pressure within a sealing pressure range greater than the grasping pressure range to enable sealing of tissue between the jaw members upon activation of electrosurgical energy.