Angled Serrated Forceps for Ocular Membrane Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing forceps used in eye surgery, particularly for handling membrane tissue, face challenges with inefficient gripping due to serrated textures perpendicular to the axis, resulting in limited contact and poor handling of fine tissue materials.
Innovation Solution
The forceps feature serrated surface textures on the jaw surfaces angled non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, providing a serrated profile with angled teeth for enhanced gripping capabilities, manufactured using wire electrical discharge machining, which allows for improved handling and manipulation of membrane tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If serrated texture is provided perpendicular to the axis of the forceps, then manufacturing is simplified, but gripping functionality is poor with limited contact on membrane tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by orienting the serrations at a specific angle (e.g., 45 degrees) relative to the longitudinal axis rather than perpendicular to it. This asymmetric orientation creates teeth that engage membrane tissue more effectively, providing both lateral and axial gripping components that improve handling of delicate ocular membranes while maintaining manufacturability through standard machining processes.
2Ease of manufacture
If serrated teeth are oriented perpendicular to longitudinal direction, then manufacturing is easier, but contact area with membrane tissue is small
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional perpendicular serration pattern to a two-dimensional angled serration pattern. By orienting serrations at an angle to the longitudinal axis, the design creates teeth that contact tissue across both radial and axial dimensions, significantly increasing the effective contact area with membrane tissue during gripping operations.
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 angled serrated texture enhances gripping functionality, ensuring effective contact and handling of membrane tissues during surgery, providing a firm and fine-pitched grip even in delicate operations.
Implementation Method 1
the serrated surface texture is provided using wire electrical discharge machining
Data Source
AI summary
A forceps comprising a first jaw and a second jaw arranged along a longitudinal axis of the forceps for relative movement toward and away from one another. The first and second forceps jaws have respective first and second jaw surfaces facing each other. The first and second jaw surfaces have a serrated surface texture at least on a distal part thereof. A serration direction of the serrated surface texture is at an angle which is non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, resulting in additional profile structure elements at a tip portion surface, allowing to handle and manipulate fine tissue materials such as membranes in an eye.