Surgical Cassette Pre-Alignment Shelf to Prevent Console Misloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical cassette alignment systems for phacoemulsification procedures in eye surgery often result in misalignment, leading to jamming, breakage, and poor performance due to inadequate alignment features, particularly with the cassette being inadvertently or deliberately mis-loaded into the console.
Innovation Solution
A phacoemulsification surgical console with a pre-alignment feature, such as a shelf, is introduced to facilitate proper alignment of the surgical cassette by guiding the cassette and administrative tubing into the console receiver, ensuring accurate alignment and secure clamping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surgical cassette is manually loaded into the console without pre-alignment features, then the loading process is simple and quick, but misalignment occurs leading to jamming and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements pre-alignment features (guides, shelves, and alignment keys) that perform alignment actions before the cassette is fully loaded into the console. These features guide the cassette into the correct position during insertion, preventing misalignment and jamming before they occur. The alignment key on the cassette engages with the corresponding guide in the console receiver, establishing proper alignment in advance of complete insertion.
2Reliability
If alignment features are added to prevent misalignment, then jamming and breakage are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment system is segmented into distinct components: an alignment key attached to the cassette, corresponding guides in the console receiver, and a shelf for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific alignment function independently, making the overall system more manageable and easier to manufacture while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment key and guides act as intermediary elements between the cassette and console. These intermediaries facilitate proper alignment without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms. The alignment key engages with the guide to establish correct positioning, serving as a simple yet effective mediator that prevents misalignment issues.
3Ease of operation
If the cassette is allowed to rest on the pre-alignment feature after ejection, then handling and inspection are facilitated, but the feature must be designed to accommodate this additional function
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-alignment shelf is designed with multi-functionality: it serves as an alignment guide during cassette insertion and simultaneously provides a resting surface for the ejected cassette. This universal design allows the same structural feature to perform multiple functions, eliminating the need for separate handling fixtures and reducing overall device complexity despite the added functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A phacoemulsification surgical console, and a related system and method. The console, system and method may include a cassette receiver suitable for receiving a surgical cassette, a controller suitable for controlling provided aspects of the phacoemulsification; and a pre-alignment feature along a lower portion under and proximate to the cassette receiver, extending outwardly from the lower portion, and suitable for aligning the surgical cassette to the cassette receiver. The pre-alignment feature may comprise a shelf.