Chip Assembly Fluid-Tight Seal for Surgical Staplers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical staplers with chip assemblies are prone to malfunction due to fluid exposure, which can cause short-circuiting and render the device inoperable, especially when used in environments like body cavities where fluids are present.
Innovation Solution
A chip assembly design featuring a housing assembly with a seal member and a plug assembly that creates a fluid-tight seal, preventing exposure of the chip and connections to fluids, ensuring the chip assembly remains functional during procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the chip and connections are exposed for automatic configuration relay, then the handle assembly can be programmed automatically, but the chip is vulnerable to fluid exposure causing short-circuiting
Solution Approach 1:
A seal member configured to form a fluid-tight seal about the chip and connections, creating a protective barrier that prevents fluid exposure while maintaining automatic configuration relay functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member acts as an intermediary element between the chip assembly and the fluid environment, allowing electrical connections to pass through while blocking fluid access to the chip
2Reliability
If the chip assembly is sealed to prevent fluid exposure, then the chip is protected from short-circuiting, but the complexity of the assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is integrated with the housing assembly and plug assembly, combining sealing functionality with structural components to minimize additional complexity while ensuring fluid protection
3Reliability
If the chip assembly uses a housing and plug structure with seal member, then fluid protection is achieved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chip assembly is divided into separate components (housing assembly, plug assembly, seal member) that can be manufactured independently and then assembled, allowing for specialized manufacturing processes for each component while maintaining overall fluid protection
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 design effectively prevents fluid exposure, maintaining the chip assembly's functionality and ensuring the surgical stapler operates reliably even in fluid-rich environments, reducing user error and device failures.
Implementation Method 1
a seal member configured to form a fluid-tight seal about the chip and the connections between the chip and the circuit board assembly
Data Source
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AI summary
An improved chip assembly for use in a stapling device includes a housing assembly receivable within a reload assembly. The housing assembly includes a base member defining a cavity and an identification assembly received within the cavity. The chip assembly further includes a plug assembly configured to selectively engage the base member. The plug assembly includes a housing, a wire extending from the housing, a seal member disposed within and extending from a distal end of the housing, and first and second contact members extending through the seal member and from the housing. The seal member is configured to be frictionally received within the base member to secure the plug assembly to the housing assembly in a fluid tight manner.