Electrosurgical pencil providing blade isolation

In an electrosurgical pencil of the type having a pencil housing, a blade at an end of the housing, a hot lead for carrying current from an electrosurgical generator through the housing to the blade, first and second switching leads for carrying activation signals from the pencil to the electrosurfical generator, and a switch carried by the housing for activating the electrosurgical generator by making selective electrical connection between the first switching lead and the hot lead or the second switching lead and the hot lead, the improvement comprising:

• said switch including means for isolating said blade from said hot lead when said switch is not activated and for connecting said blade to said hot lead when said switch is activated.

In an electrosurgical pencil of the type having a pencil housing, a blade at one end of the housing which receives current through a hot lead from an electrosurgical generator upon electrical interconnection of a switching lead extending between the generator and the pencil with the hot lead, the improvement comprising:

• first switch means for making and breaking contact between said switching lead and said hot lead, said first switch means comprising a deformable, electrically conductive dome including activation means for positioning said dome in either a relaxed position, where said first switch means is open, or a deflected position, where said first switch means is closed;
• and
• second switch means for making and breaking contact between said hot lead and said blade, said second switch means comprising a deformable conductive element which is interposed between said dome and said activation means, such that it makes contact with said dome when said dome is positioned in its deflected position by said activation means and does not make contact with said dome when it is not being positioned in its deflected position by said activation means, said conductive element being electrically connected to said blade.