Surgical instrument with capacitive electrical interface

A surgical instrument comprising:

• (a) a body;
• (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body;
• (c) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises:
• (i) a channel assembly, and
• (ii) a cartridge assembly configured to selectively couple with the channel assembly, wherein the cartridge assembly comprises an electrically activated component;
• and
• (d) an electrical contact assembly configured electrically couple a power source with the electrically activated component of the cartridge assembly, wherein the electrical contact assembly comprises a capacitor, wherein the capacitor comprises a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, and a dielectric cover associated with either the first conductive plate or the second conductive plate, wherein the dielectric cover is poisoned between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate when the cartridge assembly is coupled with the channel assembly.

A surgical instrument comprising:

• (a) a body;
• (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body;
• (c) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises:
• (i) a channel assembly, and
• (ii) a cartridge assembly configured to selectively couple with the channel assembly, wherein the cartridge assembly comprises an electrically activated component;
• and
• (d) an electrical contact assembly configured electrically couple a power source with the electrically activated component of the cartridge assembly, wherein the electrical contact assembly comprises a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is inoperable when the cartridge assembly is decoupled from the channel assembly, wherein the capacitor is operable when the cartridge assembly is coupled with the channel assembly.