ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENTS INCLUDING A JAW ANGLE DETECTION SYSTEM

An electrosurgical instrument, comprising an elongated shaft, an end effector coupled to a distal end portion of the elongated shaft and including opposing first and second jaw members, the end effector configured to move between an open configuration, in which the first and second jaw members define a first gap therebetween, and a closed configuration, in which the first and second jaw members define a second gap therebetween, smaller than the first gap and a drive shaft operably coupled to the end effector to move the end effector between the open and closed configurations, further including a switch assembly including a first electrical contact coupled to the drive shaft and configured to move with the drive shaft and a second electrical contact configured to be engaged by the first electrical contact in response to a movement of the drive shaft to determine a first angle between the first and second jaw members or a detecting circuit having a plurality of contacts, and an electrical contact coupled to the drive shaft and configured to move with the drive shaft, such that the electrical contact moves relative to the detecting circuit, wherein each discrete position of the electrical contact relative to a respective contact of the plurality of contacts of the detecting circuit corresponds to a discrete angle between the first and second jaw members, characterized wherein the plurality of contacts of the detecting circuit are co-linear along an axis.