Capacitive Motion Sensor for Surgical Instrument Firing Rod
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments require significant manual force to clamp and deploy surgical fasteners, leading to surgeon fatigue, and existing sensors contribute to mechanical wear, complexity, size, and weight, making them less reliable and maneuverable during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with a motion sensor that senses changes in the electric field between the firing rod and the elongated shaft, allowing for precise control of the firing rod's motion without mechanical interaction, reducing wear and simplifying the design for improved maneuverability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rotational sensors with mechanical components are used to sense motion parameters, then measurement capability is provided, but mechanical wear increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical rotational sensors with a capacitive sensing system that uses electrical fields to detect linear motion of the firing rod. The motion sensor includes a first sensing electrode on the firing rod and a second sensing electrode on the elongated shaft, eliminating mechanical contact and wear while providing reliable motion parameter measurement.
2Measurement precision
If conventional rotational sensors with multiple components are used, then motion sensing is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential sensing function from complex mechanical sensor assemblies and implements it through a simplified capacitive sensing system. By using electrical field interactions between two electrodes rather than mechanical encoders with multiple moving parts, the design achieves motion sensing with reduced complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical rotational sensors with a capacitive sensing system that uses electrical fields to detect linear motion of the firing rod. The motion sensor includes a first sensing electrode on the firing rod and a second sensing electrode on the elongated shaft, eliminating mechanical contact and wear while providing reliable motion parameter measurement.
3Ease of operation
If conventional sensors with mechanical components are used, then motion feedback is provided, but the size and weight of the surgical instrument increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical rotational sensors with a capacitive sensing system that uses electrical fields to detect linear motion of the firing rod. The motion sensor includes a first sensing electrode on the firing rod and a second sensing electrode on the elongated shaft, eliminating mechanical contact and wear while providing reliable motion parameter measurement.
4Productivity
If manual force is used to clamp and deploy surgical fasteners, then surgical procedures can be performed, but surgeon fatigue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where a motion sensor detects the linear motion of the firing rod during clamping and fastener deployment. The controller receives feedback signals from the motion sensor and adjusts the motor-driven firing mechanism to maintain precise control, enabling the surgical instrument to perform clamping and stapling functions with reduced manual force requirements and decreased surgeon fatigue.
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 solution enables reduced mechanical wear, simplified design, and enhanced maneuverability by accurately controlling the firing rod's motion using electric field sensing, thereby reducing surgeon fatigue and improving the reliability and efficiency of surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a motion sensor that senses changes in the electric field between the firing rod and the elongated shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument and method of controlling the surgical instrument are disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a housing and an elongated shaft that extends distally from the housing and defines a first longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument also includes a firing rod disposed in the elongated shaft and a drive mechanism disposed at least partially within the housing. The drive mechanism mechanically cooperates with the firing rod to move the firing rod. A motion sensor senses a change in the electric field (e.g., capacitance, impedance, or admittance) between the firing rod and the elongated shaft. The measurement unit determines a parameter of the motion of the firing rod, such as the position, speed, and direction of the firing rod, based on the sensed change in the electric field. A controller uses the measured parameter of the motion of the firing rod to control the drive mechanism.