Surgical instrument for transmitting energy to tissue comprising a movable electrode or insulator

1. A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue, comprising: a handle, comprising: a trigger; and an electrical input; a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a conductor, wherein said trigger is selectively actuatable to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor; and an end effector, comprising: a first jaw member, comprising: an electrode electrically coupled with said conductor, wherein said electrode is configured to generate heat when electrical energy is supplied to said electrode, and wherein said electrode comprises a top surface; and an insulator positioned adjacent to said electrode, wherein said insulator is at least partially positioned within said first jaw member, wherein said insulator comprises a top tissue-bearing surface movable between a first position and a second position relative to said top surface of said electrode, wherein said insulator comprises a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, wherein said first lateral portion is positioned laterally with respect to said second lateral portion, wherein said first lateral portion and said second lateral portion are at least partially separated by a channel, and wherein said top tissue-bearing surface of said insulator is closer to said top surface of said electrode when said insulator is in said first position than when said insulator is in said second position; and a second jaw member, wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member to clamp tissue intermediate said first jaw member and said second jaw member; and a driver slidable longitudinally relative to said insulator in order to support and move said first lateral portion and said second lateral portion of said insulator between said first position and said second position.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said insulator moves in a first direction when it moves between said first position and said second position, and wherein said first direction is transverse to a plane defined by said top surface of said electrode.

3. A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue, comprising: a handle, comprising: a trigger; and

an electrical input; a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a conductor, wherein said trigger is selectively actuatable to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor; and an end effector, comprising: a first jaw member, comprising: an electrode electrically coupled with said conductor, wherein said electrode is configured to generate heat when electrical energy is supplied to said electrode, and wherein said electrode comprises a top surface; and an insulator positioned adjacent to said electrode, wherein said insulator is at least partially positioned within said first jaw member, wherein said insulator comprises a top tissue-bearing surface movable between a first position and a second position relative to said top surface of said electrode, and wherein said top tissue-bearing surface of said insulator is closer to said top surface of said electrode when said insulator is in said first position than when said insulator is in said second position; and a second jaw member, wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member to clamp tissue intermediate said first jaw member and said second jaw member; and a driver slidable longitudinally relative to said insulator in order to support and move said insulator between said first position and said second position, wherein said insulator comprises a first insulator positioned adjacent to a first side of said electrode, wherein said end effector further comprises a second insulator positioned adjacent to a second side of said electrode, wherein said second insulator is movable between a third position and a fourth position relative to said top surface of said electrode, and wherein said driver is slidable longitudinally relative to said second insulator in order to move said second insulator between said third position and said fourth position.

4. A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue, comprising: a handle, comprising: a trigger; and an electrical input; a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a conductor, wherein said trigger is selectively actuatable to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor; and an end effector, comprising: a first jaw member, comprising: an electrode electrically coupled with said conductor, wherein said electrode is configured to generate heat when electrical energy is supplied to said electrode, and wherein said electrode comprises a tissue-contacting surface; and an insulator positioned adjacent to said electrode, wherein said insulator is at least partially positioned within said first jaw member, wherein a step is defined between said insulator and said electrode, wherein said insulator is movable relative to said tissue-contacting surface between a first step height and a second step height, wherein said insulator comprises a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, wherein said first lateral portion is positioned laterally with respect to said second lateral portion, wherein said first lateral portion and said second lateral portion are at least partially separated by a channel, and wherein said insulator is positioned closer to said tissue-contacting surface when said insulator is at said first step height than when said insulator is at said second step height; and a second jaw member, wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member to clamp tissue intermediate said first jaw member and said second jaw member; and a driver slidable longitudinally relative to said insulator in order to support and move said first lateral portion and said second lateral portion of said insulator between said first position and said second position.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein said insulator moves in a first direction when it moves between said first step height and said second step height, and wherein said first direction is transverse to a plane defined by said tissue-contacting surface of said electrode.

6. A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue, comprising: a handle, comprising: a trigger; and an electrical input; a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a conductor, wherein said trigger is selectively actuatable to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor; and an end effector, comprising: a first jaw member, comprising: an electrode electrically coupled with said conductor, wherein said electrode is configured to generate heat when electrical energy is supplied to said electrode, and wherein said electrode comprises a tissue-contacting surface; and an insulator positioned adjacent to said electrode, wherein said insulator is at least partially positioned within said first jaw member, wherein a step is defined between said insulator and said electrode, wherein said insulator is movable relative to said tissue-contacting surface between a first step height and a second step height, and wherein said insulator is positioned closer to said tissue-contacting surface when said insulator is at said first step height than when said insulator is at said second step height; and a second jaw member, wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member to clamp tissue intermediate said first jaw member and said second jaw member; and a driver slidable longitudinally relative to said insulator in order to support and move said insulator between said first position and said second position, wherein said insulator comprises a first insulator positioned adjacent to a first side of said electrode, wherein said end effector further comprises a second insulator positioned adjacent to a second side of said electrode, wherein said second insulator is movable between a third step height and a fourth step height relative to said tissue-contacting surface, and wherein said driver is slidable longitudinally relative to said second insulator in order to move said second insulator between said third step height and said fourth step height.

7. A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue, comprising:

a handle, comprising:

a trigger; and

an electrical input;

a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a conductor, wherein said trigger is selectively actuatable to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor; and

an end effector, comprising:

a first jaw member, comprising:

an electrode electrically coupled with said conductor, wherein said electrode is configured to generate heat when electrical energy is supplied to said electrode, and wherein said electrode comprises a top tissue-bearing surface; and

an insulator positioned adjacent to said electrode, wherein said insulator comprises a top surface, wherein said insulator is at least partially positioned within said first jaw member, wherein said top tissue-bearing surface of said electrode is movable between a first position and a second position relative to said top surface of said insulator, and wherein said top tissue-bearing surface of said electrode is closer to said top surface of said insulator when said electrode is in said first position than when said electrode is in said second position; and

a second jaw member, wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member to clamp tissue intermediate said first jaw member and said second jaw member, wherein said end effector further comprises a driver, and wherein said driver is slidable relative to said electrode in order to move said electrode between said first position and said second position.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein said electrode moves in a first direction when it moves between said first position and said second position, and wherein said first direction is transverse to a plane defined by said top surface of said insulator.

9. A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue, comprising:

a handle, comprising:

a trigger; and

an electrical input;

a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a conductor, wherein said trigger is selectively actuatable to electrically couple said electrical input and said conductor; and

an end effector, comprising:

a first jaw member, comprising:

an electrode electrically coupled with said conductor, wherein said electrode is configured to generate heat when electrical energy is supplied to said electrode, and wherein said electrode comprises a top tissue-bearing surface; and

an insulator positioned adjacent to said electrode, wherein said insulator comprises a top surface, wherein said insulator is at least partially positioned within said first jaw member, wherein said top tissue-bearing surface of said electrode is movable between a first position and a second position relative to said top surface of said insulator, and wherein said top tissue-bearing surface of said electrode is closer to said top surface of said insulator when said electrode is in said first position than when said electrode is in said second position; and

a second jaw member, wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member to clamp tissue intermediate said first jaw member and said second jaw member, wherein said electrode comprises a first electrode, wherein said end effector further comprises a second electrode, and wherein said second electrode is movable between a third position and a fourth position relative to said top surface of said insulator, wherein said end effector further comprises a driver, wherein said driver is slidable relative to said first electrode in order to move said first electrode between said first position and said second position, and wherein said driver is slidable relative to said second electrode in order to move said second electrode between said third position and said fourth position.

10. A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue, comprising:

a handle comprising a trigger;

a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said shaft comprises a conductor, wherein said trigger is selectively actuatable to electrically couple a power source with said conductor; and

an end effector, comprising:

a first jaw member, comprising:

an electrode electrically coupled with said conductor, wherein said electrode is configured to generate heat when electrical energy is supplied to said electrode, and wherein said electrode comprises a top tissue-bearing surface;

an insulator comprising a top surface, wherein said top tissue-bearing surface of said electrode is movable between a first position and a second position relative to said top surface of said insulator, and wherein said top tissue-bearing surface of said electrode is closer to said top surface of said insulator when said electrode is in said first position than when said electrode is in said second position; and

a driver slidable relative to said electrode to move said electrode between said first position and said second position; and

a second jaw member, wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member is movable relative to the other of said first jaw member and said second jaw member to clamp tissue intermediate said first jaw member and said second jaw member.