Arcuate Lever Actuation Mechanism for Surgical Forceps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments with actuation mechanisms for closing and opening the jaws of forceps or scissors are often structurally complex and difficult to assemble, which can complicate surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument featuring an actuation mechanism with resilient, arcuate levers that allow for the activation and deactivation of the instrument's functional end, such as forceps or scissors, by pressing the levers, which move the shaft housing and tube to transition the device from a deactivated to an activated state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional actuation mechanisms are used to close and open the jaws of forceps, then the surgical instrument can perform its cutting or grasping function, but the actuation mechanism becomes structurally complicated and difficult to assemble
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple actuation components into a single integrated arcuate lever assembly. The arcuate lever is directly coupled to the shaft housing and tube, eliminating the need for separate linkages, hinges, and multiple adjustment mechanisms found in traditional designs. This merging of components simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the force transmission function needed to close and open the forceps jaws.
Solution Approach 2:
The arcuate lever serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a structural support element, a force transmission mechanism, and an actuation control component. By designing the lever with a specific arcuate geometry, it provides both mechanical strength and the necessary motion transformation to activate the forceps jaws, reducing the need for additional specialized components.
2Force
If traditional actuation mechanisms with multiple parts are used, then adequate force transmission is achieved, but assembly difficulty increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the force transmission function directly into the arcuate lever structure itself, rather than using a series of interconnected parts. The lever's curved geometry naturally channels and transmits force from the user's input at the handle to the forceps jaws at the tip, eliminating multiple assembly steps while maintaining effective force transmission throughout the instrument length.
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 use of arcuate levers simplifies the actuation mechanism, reducing structural complexity and facilitating easier assembly, while allowing for effective activation and deactivation of the surgical instrument during procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of arcuate levers, each arcuate lever having a proximal end coupled to the shaft and a distal end coupled to the shaft housing. Pressing one or more of the plurality of arcuate levers moves the shaft housing and tube
Data Source
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AI summary
Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a surgical instrument (200) comprising a device having a functional end (212) configured to be inserted into a body part, a shaft (204) coupled to a proximal end of the device, and a shaft housing (206) configured to receive a distal end of the shaft and operable to move along a central axis of the shaft. The surgical instrument further comprises a tube (208) coupled to the distal end of the shaft housing and configured to partially house the device such that the functional end of the device at least partially extends beyond the distal end of the tube. The surgical instrument further comprises a plurality of arcuate levers (210a, 210b, 210c) such that pressing one or more of the plurality of arcuate levers moves the shaft housing and the tube toward the functional end of the device, causing the tube to transition the device from a deactivated state to an activated state.