Medical Clamp Electrode Clearance for Uniform Tissue Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical apparatuses face challenges in uniformly applying and maintaining pressure on living tissues during treatment, leading to inconsistent sealing and cutting of blood vessels, which can result in missed seals and leakage.
Innovation Solution
A medical apparatus with a pivot shaft and rotatable clamp portions, where the clearance between electrodes adjusts to compensate for pressure distribution along the axis, ensuring uniform force application and energy input, regardless of position, by varying the clearance between the stationary and movable jaws.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotatable clamp portion is used to apply load pressure to living tissue, then the tissue can be held securely, but the pressure distribution becomes non-uniform along the axis, causing inconsistent sealing and cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode member is designed with a non-uniform clearance structure where different portions have different distances from the stationary electrode. Specifically, the clearance at the first position (adjacent to pivot shaft) is larger than at the second position (distant from pivot shaft), creating localized pressure compensation that ensures uniform pressure distribution along the electrode axis during tissue sealing and cutting operations
2Reliability
If the clearance between electrodes is uniform, then the structure is simple, but the pressure application becomes non-uniform, leading to missed seals and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode member incorporates a non-uniform clearance design where the distance between the stationary electrode and movable electrode varies along the axis. The clearance at positions adjacent to the pivot shaft is intentionally made larger, while clearance at positions distant from the pivot shaft is smaller, creating localized pressure compensation without requiring complex additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the electrode member itself non-uniform in shape, the invention inverts the approach by making the clearance non-uniform while keeping the electrode surfaces relatively simple. This is achieved by positioning the movable electrode at varying distances from the stationary electrode along the axis, compensating for pressure distribution issues through geometric arrangement rather than material or structural complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A medical apparatus includes a first clamp portion; a pivot shaft; a second clamp portion rotatable around the pivot shaft, and movable between an opened position in which the second clamp portion is distant from the first clamp portion, and a closed position in which the second clamp portion is adjacent to the first clamp portion; and an electrode member provided on the second clamp portion, and opposed to the first clamp portion, the electrode member forming a clearance in cooperation with the first clamp portion in the closed position, the clearance in a second position distant from the pivot shaft being smaller than the clearance in a first position adjacent to the pivot shaft, to adjust holding pressure.