Retrieval Basket Handle with Adjustable Biasing Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical devices with elongate members and end effectors, such as expandable baskets, face issues where rapid retraction or compression can break captured material, leading to increased procedural time, cost, and complexity due to the need for recapturing smaller pieces.
Innovation Solution
A medical device handle system with an actuator member, adjustment member, and biasing member that allows for adjustable force control of the end effector, enabling precise manipulation and capture of materials through a combination of slots, tabs, and a biasing mechanism, such as a compression spring or elastic band, to manage the force applied during deployment and retraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the end effector is retracted quickly to improve procedure efficiency, then productivity increases, but the captured material may be broken apart into smaller pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the retraction force adjustable rather than fixed. The biasing member (spring) can be repositioned along the actuator member to dynamically change the retraction force applied to the end effector. This allows the system to adapt between fast retraction (when material integrity is not a concern) and gentle retraction (when material integrity is critical), resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
2Reliability
If the biasing member force is increased to improve capture reliability, then the end effector closes more reliably, but the captured material may be compressed too forcefully and broken
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by allowing the biasing member force parameter to be adjusted. The biasing member can be positioned at different locations along the actuator member, changing the force it exerts on the end effector. This enables the system to optimize between capture reliability (requiring higher force) and material protection (requiring lower force), resolving the contradiction by making the force parameter adjustable rather than fixed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the actuator slot includes multiple positions to adjust retraction force, then adaptability improves, but the handle complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the actuator slot into multiple discrete positions or zones, each corresponding to a different retraction force level. Instead of a continuous adjustment mechanism, the slot is segmented into specific regions where the biasing member can be positioned. This segmented approach provides adaptability through multiple force options while keeping the handle structure relatively simple, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
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 system enables efficient and reliable capture and removal of materials by allowing customizable force settings, reducing the risk of material breakage and simplifying the medical procedure by ensuring complete retrieval without fragmenting captured items.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing member may be a compression spring. An equilibrium length of the compression spring may be greater than the distance between the actuator member and the adjustment member. The biasing member may be an elastic band. An equilibrium length of the elastic band may be smaller than the distance between the actuator member and the adjustment member.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device may include a sheath, an elongate member at least partially surrounded by the sheath, an end effector at a distal end of the elongate member and movable between an open position and a closed position, and a handle. The handle may include an actuator member coupled to the sheath, an adjustment member, and a biasing member extending between the actuator member and the adjustment member.