Surgical instrument with recessed contacts and electrically insulting barriers

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• (a) a body assembly, wherein the body assembly includes a first electrical contact;
• (b) a shaft assembly, wherein the shaft assembly is configured to releasably attach to and extend distally from the body assembly, wherein the shaft assembly includes a second electrical contact;
• (c) an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector is operable to treat tissue;
• and
• (d) a sealing layer supported by one of the body assembly or the shaft assembly, wherein the sealing layer is configured to block fluid from reaching the respective first or second electrical contact when the shaft assembly is disengaged from the body assembly,
• wherein at least one of the first or second electrical contacts is configured to breach the sealing layer to enable the first and second electrical contacts to electrically couple together when the shaft assembly is attached to the body assembly.

A surgical instrument, comprising:

• (a) a body assembly;
• (b) a shaft assembly, wherein the shaft assembly is configured to releasably attach to and extend distally from the body assembly;
• (c) an end effector at a distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector is operable to treat tissue;
• (d) a first electrical connector coupled to one of the body assembly or the shaft assembly, wherein the first electrical connector includes:
• (i) a connector body, and
• (ii) a first electrical contact supported by the connector body, wherein the first electrical contact is movable relative to the connector body between a first position and a second position;
• and
• (e) a second electrical connector coupled to the other of the body assembly or the shaft assembly, wherein the second electrical connector includes a second electrical contact,
• wherein the first electrical contact is configured to move from the first position to the second position to thereby electrically couple with the second electrical contact in response to attachment of the shaft assembly to the body assembly.