METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR CONTROLLING ELECTROSURGICAL TOOLS

1 . A surgical system, comprising:

a surgical tool including an elongate shaft, first and second jaws at a distal end of the elongate shaft, a housing at a proximal end of the elongate shaft, a closure assembly disposed at least partially in the housing and configured to be actuated to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position, and at least one electrode configured to apply energy to tissue clamped between the jaws; and

a control system configured to actuate the closure assembly such that the jaws clamp the tissue with a first clamping force when the at least one electrode is not applying the energy to the tissue and such that the jaws clamp the tissue with a second clamping force when the at least one electrode is applying the energy to the tissue, the second clamping force being higher than the first clamping force.

2 . The surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a tool driver operatively coupled to the control system and configured to be removably and replaceably operatively coupled to the housing of the surgical tool, the tool driver including at least one motor, the control system being configured to cause the at least one motor to drive the closure assembly.

3 . The surgical system of claim 2 , wherein the control system and the tool driver are components of a robotic surgical system.

4 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to cause energy to be delivered to the at least one electrode such that the at least one electrode can apply energy to the tissue clamped between the jaws.

5 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is a component of a robotic surgical system, and the control system is configured to actuate the closure assembly in response to a user input to the robotic surgical system.

6 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a processor.

7 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to actuate the closure assembly such that the jaws move toward the closed position at a speed that varies based on a position of the closure assembly relative to the jaws and based on the clamping force that the jaws clamp the tissue.

8 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to actuate the closure assembly such that the jaws move toward the closed position at a speed that varies based on an angle of the jaws relative to one another, the speed having an inverse relationship with the angle of the jaws.

9 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode includes at least one electrode on the first jaw and at least one electrode on the second jaw; and

in response to the at least one electrode on the first jaw contacting the at least one electrode on the second jaw, the control system is configured to cause tissue-facing surfaces of the jaws to be at a predetermined non-zero distance relative to one another.

10 . The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode includes at least one electrode on the first jaw and at least one electrode on the second jaw;

the control system is configured to cause a short between the at least one electrode on the first jaw and the at least one electrode on the second jaw; and

in response to the short, the control system is configured to cause the jaws to be at a predetermined angle relative to one another.

11 . A surgical method, comprising:

actuating a drive system of a robotic surgical system to cause a pair of jaws of a surgical tool to clamp tissue therebetween with a clamping force, the surgical tool being removably and replaceably operatively connected to the drive system;

actuating the drive system to cause energy to be delivered to the tissue clamped between the jaws; and

in response to the actuation of the drive system to cause the energy to be delivered, causing the pair of jaws to clamp the tissue therebetween with an increased clamping force.

12 . The surgical method of claim 11 , wherein the robotic surgical system includes a control system configured to receive a first input from a user requesting that the pair of jaws clamp the tissue, the control system is configured to receive a second input from a user requesting that the energy be delivered to the tissue clamped between the jaws, and the method further comprises:

in response to receiving the first input the control system actuates the drive system to cause the pair of jaws to clamp the tissue therebetween with the clamping force; and

in response to receiving the second input the control system actuates the drive system to cause the energy to be delivered and cause the pair of jaws to clamp the tissue therebetween with the increased clamping force.

13 . The surgical method of claim 12 , wherein the control system includes a processor.

14 . The surgical method of claim 11 , wherein the drive system includes at least one motor that drives the clamping of the pair of jaws and that drives the application of the energy.

15 . The surgical method of claim 11 , wherein the energy is delivered to the tissue by at least one electrode on one of the jaws and at least one electrode on the other of the jaws.

16 . The surgical method of claim 15 , further comprising, in response to the at least one electrode on the first jaw contacting the at least one electrode on the second jaw, causing tissue-facing surfaces of the jaws to be at a predetermined non-zero distance relative to one another.

17 . The surgical method of claim 15 , further comprising causing a short between the at least one electrode on the first jaw and the at least one electrode on the second jaw; and

in response to the short, causing the jaws to be at a predetermined angle relative to one another.

18 . The surgical method of claim 11 , wherein actuating the drive system to cause the pair of jaws to clamp the tissue therebetween includes moving the jaws at a speed from an open position toward a closed position, the speed varying based on a position of a closure assembly of the surgical tool relative to the jaws and based on the clamping force.

19 . The surgical method of claim 11 , wherein actuating the drive system to cause the pair of jaws to clamp the tissue therebetween includes moving the jaws at a speed from an open position toward a closed position, the speed varying based on an angle of the jaws relative to one another, the speed having an inverse relationship with the angle of the jaws.

20 . A surgical method, comprising:

actuating a drive system of a robotic surgical system to cause a pair of jaws of a surgical tool to clamp tissue therebetween with a clamping force that does not exceed a predetermined maximum force, the surgical tool being removably and replaceably operatively connected to the drive system;

actuating the drive system to cause energy to be delivered to the tissue clamped between the jaws; and

in response to the actuation of the drive system to cause the energy to be delivered, increasing the clamping force above the predetermined maximum force such that a distance between tissue-facing surfaces of the jaws is reduced.