Gap control via overmold teeth and hard stops

A method of forming a jaw member of an end effector, comprising;

• forming a support base;
• forming an insulative plate with a plurality of overmold teeth;
• forming a sealing plate with a plurality of openings;
• mounting the insulative base to the support base;
• mounting the sealing plate onto the insulative plate with the plurality of overmold teeth extending through the plurality of openings on the sealing plate;
• and
• overmolding an insulative housing with a hard stop around the support base to form the jaw member, wherein when the end effector is closed around tissue the hard stop is configured to bear the majority of an applied load and the overmold teeth are configured to bear a smaller remaining portion of the applied load.

An end effector assembly including a pair of opposing jaw members, at least one of the jaw members comprising:

• an insulative housing including a hard stop formed from a plastic material, wherein the hard stop is configured to bear the majority of an applied load as the end effector assembly is closed around tissue;
• a support base coupled to the insulative housing;
• an insulative plate molded from the plastic material with a plurality of overmold teeth;
• and
• a sealing plate mounted to the insulative plate, the sealing plate includes a plurality of openings formed therein, wherein the plurality of overmold teeth extend through corresponding plurality of openings on the sealing plate past a tissue sealing surface of the sealing plate and the plurality of overmold teeth are configured to ensure that the opposing jaw members are an appropriate gap distance apart.