Patent 8241284 was granted and assigned to Covidien on August, 2012 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
An endoscopic bipolar forceps includes an elongated shaft having opposing jaw members at a distal end thereof. The jaw members are movable relative to one another from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. The jaws members are connected to a source of electrical energy such that the jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal. At least one non-conductive and spaced-apart stop member is disposed on an inner-facing surface of the jaw members to regulate the gap distance between the jaw members when tissue is held therebetween. The forceps also includes a longitudinally reciprocating knife which severs the tissue after sealing at a location which is proximate the sealing site.