Surgical Instrument With Stamped Double-Flag Jaws

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• a housing;
• an elongated shaft including a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to the housing, the elongated shaft defining a longitudinal axis;
• an end effector supported by the distal portion of the elongated shaft, the end effector adapted for treating tissue and including first and second jaw members pivotally coupled to one another to move between open and closed configurations, wherein each of the jaw members includes a pair of laterally spaced flanges, and wherein each of the flanges includes a camming surface thereon;
• a knife extending at least partially through the elongated shaft and selectively movable in a longitudinal direction between the flanges of the jaw members, a blade of the knife extendable into a tissue contacting portion of the jaw members;
• and
• an inner shaft member extending at least partially through the elongated shaft and selectively movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the knife and with respect to the elongated shaft, the inner shaft member carrying a cam pin positioned to engage the camming surface of each of the flanges to induce the jaw members to move between the open and closed configurations.

A method of manufacturing a surgical device including a housing and an elongated shaft for coupling an end effector with the housing of the surgical device, comprising the steps of:

• stamping at least one feature into a blank of sheet metal;
• folding the blank into a substantially circular profile such that two opposing longitudinal edges of the blank meet at a longitudinal seam to form an elongated shaft;
• operably coupling an end effector to at least one feature formed at a distal portion of the elongated shaft;
• and
• engaging at least one actuating mechanism supported by the housing with at least one feature formed at a proximal portion of the elongated shaft to operably couple the proximal portion of the elongated shaft with the housing, the actuating mechanism configured to selectively move the end effector between an open position and a closed position.