Pre-tensioned Aneurysm Clip Spiral Spring Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical clips, particularly aneurysm clips, face manufacturing complexities and reliability issues due to the use of torsion or spiral springs, which require precise production, are prone to overwinding, and have limited durability and operational reliability.
Innovation Solution
A surgical clip design utilizing two individual components, with a straight clamping rail and a spiral spring connected via a fork or eyelet section, allowing for large spring deflection without breaking, and featuring a locking mechanism to prevent overbending, ensuring parallel jaw movement and enhanced manufacturing precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a torsion spring is used to generate clamping force, then sufficient pressing force is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clip is divided into two separate components: the clip body and the spiral spring. This segmentation allows the spring to be independently manufactured and then assembled, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining the necessary pressing force functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a torsion spring that winds in a complex manner, the patent employs a spiral spring with a simpler geometry that can be more easily manufactured. The spring arrangement is inverted in concept from the traditional torsion spring design, using a planar spiral configuration rather than a three-dimensional wound spring.
2Force
If a torsion spring is used, then clamping force is maintained, but precision requirements and reject rate increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the spring from the clip body, each component can be manufactured independently with optimized tolerances. The spiral spring can be produced with simpler dimensional controls compared to a torsion spring, reducing the overall precision requirements and reject rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spring geometry parameters from a three-dimensional torsion spring to a two-dimensional spiral configuration. This parameter change allows for more forgiving manufacturing tolerances while maintaining the essential force-generating functionality.
3Shape
If clip branches cross each other, then clamping sections are formed, but asymmetrical friction reduces closing force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry through the spiral spring design, which is positioned offset from the centerline of the clip. This deliberate asymmetry in the spring arrangement helps counterbalance the frictional effects caused by the crossed clip branches, maintaining effective closing force.
4Adaptability or versatility
If spring deflection is increased for wider opening, then operational reliability improves, but spring breaking risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral spring design inherently provides a curved, progressive deformation path compared to a linear spring. This curvature allows the spring to distribute stress more evenly during deflection, enabling wider opening ranges while reducing peak stresses that could lead to breaking.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves high operational reliability, versatility, and ease of manufacturing with reduced production costs and improved durability by allowing wide elastic deformation without breakage, while maintaining consistent closing forces and preventing mechanical overload.
Implementation Method 1
The spiral spring (14) ... which is prestressed in the assembly position of the two clip branches (1, 2) in order to prestress the two clip branches (1, 2) against one another
Implementation Method 2
allowing for large spring deflection without breaking, and featuring a locking mechanism to prevent overbending
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The clip has two individual components comprising a clip branch (1) with a clamping bar (4). A fork or an eyelet portion or a drive arm (8) i.e. rocker, is connectable at a proximal end portion of the clamping bar. A radially outer end of a spiral spring (14) is connected at a proximal end portion of another clamping bar (6) of another clip branch (2). The spiral spring is laterally inserted into the fork-/eyelet portion or laterally guided along the drive arm, and coupled or couplable with the fork-/eyelet portion or the drive arm at a center/eye portion.