The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 16, 2018
Filed:
Apr. 24, 2015
Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (US);
Gary L. Long, Cincinnati, OH (US);
David N. Plescia, Mentor, OH (US);
Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument configured to deliver electrical energy to the tissue of a patient is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises a frame, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a guard movable between a first position and a second position. The surgical instrument further comprises a spring positioned intermediate the guard and the frame. The spring is configured to bias the guard into the first position. When the guard is in the first position, a distal end of the guard is positioned at least flush with distal ends of the first electrode and the second electrode, which prevents current from arcing between the first electrode and the second electrode. When the guard is in the second position, the distal end of the guard is in contact with the tissue, which prevents current from arcing between the first electrode and the second electrode without passing through the tissue.