Articulation Joint Conductive Pathways for Precise Surgical Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical staplers require cumbersome repositioning of the end effector after initial placement, as they lack efficient articulation mechanisms for precise tissue manipulation and stapling within body cavities, leading to inefficiencies in surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with an articulation system that includes a nested gear assembly and a detachable drive mount assembly, allowing for multiple degrees of freedom and precise control of the end effector's position relative to the elongate shaft, enabling efficient articulation and rotation while maintaining electrical connectivity for motor control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the end effector is made articulatable with multiple degrees of freedom for precise tissue manipulation, then user dexterity and positioning precision are improved, but device complexity increases due to additional articulation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested gear assembly where a first gear is positioned within a second gear, both rotating about the same axis. The first gear is coupled to the articulation drive shaft while the second gear is coupled to the end effector. This nesting arrangement transmits articulation motion efficiently while maintaining a compact structure, resolving the contradiction between achieving multiple degrees of freedom and maintaining device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a flexible circuit board as an intermediary element that maintains electrical connectivity between the handle and end effector while accommodating articulation movements. The flexible circuit board can bend and flex to allow the end effector to articulate relative to the handle, thus enabling precise positioning without compromising electrical connections for motor control.
2Loss of time
If the end effector allows easy repositioning through articulation mechanisms, then procedural time is reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic articulation system where the end effector can be selectively articulated relative to the handle through a drive shaft and gear mechanism. The articulation joint allows smooth, controlled movement between different positions, enabling quick repositioning during surgical procedures without requiring complex manual manipulation or multiple fixed-position components.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested gear assembly enables compact transmission of articulation motion, allowing the end effector to be repositioned efficiently within a limited space. The first gear nested within the second gear provides a space-efficient mechanism for transmitting rotational motion from the drive shaft to the end effector, facilitating quick repositioning without adding excessive device complexity.
3Reliability
If conductive pathways are maintained through articulation joints for motor control, then electrical connectivity is preserved, but the articulation mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible circuit board serves as an intermediary that maintains electrical connectivity while accommodating mechanical articulation. It flexes and bends to allow relative movement between the handle and end effector without compromising the conductive pathways, thus preserving motor control signals and power transmission through the articulation joint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a flexible circuit board - a thin, flexible conductive structure - to maintain electrical connections through the articulation joint. This flexible film can bend and deform to accommodate the articulation movements of the end effector relative to the handle, ensuring reliable electrical connectivity for motor control without requiring rigid, complex wiring arrangements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A cover for an articulation joint that is supported in an elongate shaft assembly of a surgical instrument that is operably coupled to a surgical end effector that includes at least one end effector conductor therein. The cover includes at least one electrically conductive pathway that extends from the distal end of the cover to form an electrically conductive pathway from the end effector conductor to a shaft conductor on the elongate shaft assembly while facilitating operation of the articulation joint. Various conductor arrangements facilitating the passage of electrical current between an end effector to a control system across the articulation joint are also disclosed.