Surgical end effector jaw and electrode configurations

Abstract

A surgical end effector may comprise first and second jaw members. The second jaw member may comprise an offset proximal supply electrode that is positioned to contact an opposing member of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position. The second jaw member may also comprise a distal supply electrode that is positioned distal of the offset proximal electrode and is aligned with a conductive surface of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position. When the first and second jaw members are in the closed position, the proximal supply electrode may be in contact with the opposing member and the distal supply electrode is not in contact with the conductive surface of the first jaw member.

1 . A surgical end effector comprising:
 a first jaw member, wherein the first jaw member comprises a first electrode configured to be electrically coupled to a first polarity of an energy source;   a second jaw member, wherein the second jaw member is pivotable relative to the first jaw member from a first open position to a second closed position, wherein the first and second jaw members define a gap in the closed position, and wherein the second jaw member comprises:
 an offset proximal supply electrode configured to be electrically coupled to a second polarity of an energy source, wherein the offset proximal supply electrode comprises a contact surface positioned to contact a contact surface of an electrically insulative opposing member of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position, and wherein in the closed position, the gap is defined by the offset proximal supply electrode contact surface contacting the contact surface of the electrically insulative opposing member; and 
 a distal supply electrode positioned distal of the offset proximal supply electrode and aligned with an electrically conductive surface of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position, wherein the distal supply electrode is positioned closer to a distal end of the second jaw member than the offset proximal supply electrode, and wherein in the closed position the offset proximal supply electrode is in contact with the electrically insulative opposing member and the distal supply electrode is not in contact with the electrically conductive surface of the first jaw member. 
   
     
     
         2 . The surgical end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the distal supply electrode comprises a distal electrode portion that extends distally over at least a portion of a distal edge of the second jaw member. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal supply electrode and the distal supply electrode are in electrical contact. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the second jaw further comprises:
 a first insulating layer positioned between the proximal supply electrode and a first portion of the second jaw member; and   a second insulating layer positioned between the distal supply electrode and a second portion of the second jaw member.   
     
     
         5 . The surgical end effector of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second insulating layers form a continuous insulating layer. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member defines a first longitudinal channel and the second jaw member defines a second longitudinal channel. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical end effector of  claim 6 , wherein the end effector further comprises a cutting element positioned to extend distally through the first and second longitudinal channels to sever tissue positioned between the first and second jaw members. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical end effector of  claim 6 , wherein the first longitudinal channel extends distally through at least a portion of the offset proximal supply electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical end effector of  claim 6 , wherein the distal supply electrode is positioned distally from the first longitudinal channel. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical end effector of  claim 6 , wherein the offset proximal supply electrode comprises a first region on a first side of the first longitudinal channel and a second region on a second side of the first longitudinal channel. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical end effector of  claim 10 , wherein the offset proximal supply electrode comprises a third region distal from the first longitudinal channel. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the distal supply electrode and the conductive surface define grip elements. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulative opposing member is an electric insulator. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulative opposing member comprises a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material. 
     
     
         15 . A surgical end effector comprising:
 a first and a second jaw member pivotable from a first open position to a second closed position:   wherein the first and second jaw members define a proximal tissue treatment region and distal tissue treatment region and wherein the first jaw member comprises a first electrode configured to electrically couple to a first polarity of an energy source;   wherein the second jaw member comprises, in the proximal tissue treatment region, an offset proximal supply electrode configured to be coupled to a second polarity of an energy source, wherein the offset proximal supply electrode comprises a contact surface positioned to contact a contact surface of an electrically insulative opposing member positioned such that when the jaw members are in the closed position the offset proximal supply electrode is in physical contact with the electrically insulative opposing member of the first jaw member and is not in electrical contact with the first jaw member;   wherein the second jaw member further comprises, in the distal tissue treatment region, a distal supply electrode positioned such that when the jaw members are in the closed position, the distal supply electrode is aligned with a conductive surface of the first jaw member, wherein the distal supply electrode is closer to a distal end of the second jaw member than the offset proximal supply electrode; and   wherein in the closed position, the jaw members define a physical gap between the distal supply electrode and the conductive surface of the first jaw member, and wherein the gap is defined by the offset proximal supply electrode contact surface contacting the contact surface of the electrically insulative opposing member, wherein in the closed position, the offset proximal supply electrode is in contact with the electrically insulative opposing member and the distal supply electrode is not in contact with the conductive surface of the first jaw member.   
     
     
         16 . The surgical end effector of  claim 15 , wherein the offset proximal supply electrode contact is not in physical contact with an electrically insulative opposing member of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical end effector of  claim 15 , wherein the electrically insulative opposing member is an electric insulator. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical end effector of  claim 15 , wherein the electrically insulative opposing member comprises a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical end effector of  claim 15 , wherein the distal supply electrode and the conductive surface define grip elements. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical end effector of  claim 15 , wherein the offset proximal supply electrode and the distal supply electrode are in electrical contact. 
     
     
         21 . A surgical end effector comprising:
 a first jaw member comprising a first electrode configured to be electrically coupled to a first polarity of an energy source;   a second jaw member pivotable relative to the first jaw member from a first open position to a closed position, wherein the first and second jaw members are substantially parallel in the closed position, wherein the second jaw member comprises:
 an offset proximal supply electrode configured to be electrically coupled to a second polarity of an energy source, wherein the offset proximal supply electrode is positioned to contact an electrically insulative opposing member of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position, wherein the offset proximal supply electrode is offset with respect to a longitudinal axis of the second jaw member; and 
 a distal supply electrode that is positioned distal of the offset proximal electrode and is aligned with a conductive surface of the first jaw member when the first and second jaw members are in the closed position, wherein the distal supply electrode is closer to a distal end of the second jaw member than the offset proximal supply electrode; and 
   wherein in the closed position, the proximal supply electrode is in contact with the electrically insulative opposing member and the distal supply electrode is not in contact with the conductive surface of the first jaw member.