# US 2017/0281264 A1 · Electrosurgical device for vessel sealing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0281264 A1 - Document ID: US20170281264A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/470,166 - Filed: 2017-03-27 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-04 - Applicants: Gyrus ACMI, Inc., d.b.a. Olympus Surgical Technologies America - Inventors: Huisun Wang; Kester J. Batchelor; Jeffrey Nelson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170281264A1 ## CPC - A61B 18/1445: {at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod} - A61B 17/08: Wound clamps {or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue (suture bridges A61B17/0466); Devices for bringing together the edges of a wound} - A61B 17/2909: {Handles} - A61B 2018/00083: {low, i.e. electrically insulating} - A61B 2018/00404: {Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart} - A61B 2018/00607: {Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument} - A61B 2018/1455: {having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws} - A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An end effector assembly of a forceps includes a first jaw member having an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface configured to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy and a second jaw member having an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface configured to connect to the source of electrosurgical energy. The first and the second jaw members are disposed in space opposition relation relative to one another, and at least one of the jaw members is movable relative to the other between a first, open position and a second, closed position for the jaw members to grasp tissue therebetween. The tissue sealing surfaces of the first and the second jaw members are configured to form complementary stepped portions along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the end effector assembly. The complementary stepped portions include a medial portion and a lateral portion on each of the first and second jaw, and one or both of the lateral surfaces has nonconductive stops. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An end effector assembly of a forceps comprising: a first jaw member having an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface configured to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy; a second jaw member having an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface configured to connect to the source of electrosurgical energy, wherein the first and the second jaw members are disposed in space opposition relation relative to one another, and at least one of the jaw members movable relative to the other between a first, open position and a second, closed position for the jaw members to grasp tissue therebetween, wherein the tissue sealing surfaces of the first and the second jaw members are configured to form complementary stepped portions along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the end effector assembly, the complementary stepped portions comprising a medial portion and a lateral portion on each of the first and second jaw, and wherein one or both of the lateral surfaces has nonconductive stops. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The end effector assembly of claim 1 wherein the sealing surface of the first jaw member includes a first compression surface along the medial portion, a second compression surface along the lateral portion, and a shearing surface between the first compression surface and the second compression surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The end effector assembly of claim 2 wherein the sealing surface of the second jaw member includes a first compression surface along the medial portion, a second compression surface along the lateral portion, and a shearing surface between the first compression surface and the second compression surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The end effector assembly of claim 3 wherein the shearing surface of each of the jaw members is arranged orthogonally to the first compression surface and the second compression surface of the respective jaw member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The end effector assembly of claim 3 wherein the shearing surface of each of the jaw members is arranged non-orthogonally to the first compression surface and the second compression surface of the respective jaw member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The end effector assembly of claim 2 wherein the non-conductive stop is a gripping member positioned along the outermost compression surface of at least one of the jaw members, the non-conductive stop preventing inadvertent shorting between the jaw members. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The end effector assembly of claim 1 wherein the source generates electrosurgical energy to coagulate tissue grasped between the first jaw member and the second jaw member. ### Claim 8 A forceps comprising: an effector assembly comprising: a first jaw member having an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface configured to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy; a second jaw member having an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface configured to connect to the source of electrosurgical energy, wherein the first and the second jaw members are disposed in space opposition relation relative to one another, and at least one of the jaw members movable relative to the other between a first, open position and a second, closed position for the jaw members to grasp tissue therebetween, wherein the tissue sealing surfaces of the first and the second jaw members are configured to form complementary stepped portions along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the end effector assembly, the complementary stepped portions comprising a medial portion and a lateral portion on each of the first and second jaw, and wherein one or both of the lateral surfaces has nonconductive stops. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The forceps of claim 8 wherein the sealing surface of the first jaw member includes a first compression surface along the medial portion, a second compression surface along the lateral portion, and a shearing surface between the first compression surface and the second compression surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The forceps of claim 9 wherein the sealing surface of the second jaw member includes a first compression surface along the medial portion, a second compression surface along the lateral portion, and a shearing surface between the first compression surface and the second compression surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The forceps of claim 10 wherein the shearing surface of each of the jaw members is arranged orthogonally to the first compression surface and the second compression surface of the respective jaw member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The forceps of claim 10 wherein the shearing surface of each of the jaw members is arranged non-orthogonally to the first compression surface and the second compression surface of the respective jaw member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The forceps of claim 10 wherein the non-conductive stop is a gripping member positioned along the outermost compression surface of at least one of the jaw members, the non-conductive stop preventing inadvertent shorting between the jaw members. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The forceps of claim 8 wherein the source generates electrosurgical energy to coagulate tissue grasped between the first jaw member and the second jaw member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The forceps of claim 8 wherein the tissue is gripped to provide tension, the forceps further including a reciprocating blade that cuts the tissue. ### Claim 16 A method of using forceps, the method comprising: opening a first jaw member and a second jaw member of the forceps, the first jaw member having an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface configured to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy and the second jaw member having an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface configured to connect to the source of electrosurgical energy, the first and the second jaw members being disposed in space opposition relation relative to one another, the tissue sealing surfaces of the first and the second jaw members being configured to form complementary stepped portions along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the end effector assembly, the complementary stepped portions comprising a medial portion and a lateral portion on each of the first and second jaw, one or both of the lateral surfaces having nonconductive stops; closing the jaw members to grasp tissue therebetween; and pressing the jaw members together to cut tissue. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the sealing surface of the first jaw member includes a first compression surface along the medial portion, a second compression surface along the lateral portion, and a shearing surface between the first compression surface and the second compression surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the sealing surface of the second jaw member includes a first compression surface along the medial portion, a second compression surface along the lateral portion, and a shearing surface between the first compression surface and the second compression surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the shearing surface of each of the jaw members is arranged orthogonally to the first compression surface and the second compression surface of the respective jaw member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the shearing surface of each of the jaw members is arranged non-orthogonally to the first compression surface and the second compression surface of the respective jaw member. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the non-conductive stop is a gripping member positioned along the outermost compression surface of at least one of the jaw members, the non-conductive stop preventing inadvertent shorting between the jaw members. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising generating electrosurgical energy to coagulate tissue grasped between the first jaw member and the second jaw member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the tissue is gripped to provide tension and the tissue is cut by a reciprocating blade.