Clamping Device Jaw Extraction for Medical Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping devices for external fixation systems face challenges in easy cleaning and sterilization, particularly due to complex structures that make it difficult to access and clean the interstitial spaces between jaws and the central shaft, risking loss of important parts and increased reassembly time.
Innovation Solution
A clamping device with a central shaft and clamping jaws, featuring a locking portion that allows the withdrawal of one jaw portion, enabling easy accessibility and cleaning while maintaining the clamping function, and utilizing a standardized locking element for multiple device sizes to prevent part mixing and facilitate replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the clamping device is designed with a complex structure including multiple jaws and a central shaft with spring elements, then the clamping function and handling are improved, but the ease of cleaning and sterilization deteriorates due to difficult access to interstitial spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping device is divided into separable components: a first jaw portion, a second jaw portion, and a central shaft assembly with spring elements. The first jaw portion can be completely removed from the central shaft, allowing cleaning solutions to access all interstitial spaces including those around the spring elements, while the device maintains full clamping functionality when assembled.
2Ease of manufacture
If the clamping device allows disassembly for cleaning, then cleaning accessibility is improved, but the risk of losing important parts and increasing reassembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first jaw portion is extracted as a separate removable component from the central shaft assembly. This allows the jaw to be completely removed for cleaning while the central shaft with spring elements remains in place, eliminating the risk of losing spring elements during disassembly. The jaw can be easily reattached to restore the clamping device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the clamping device uses non-standardized components for different sizes, then adaptability to different device sizes is improved, but the ease of replacement and prevention of part mixing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element is designed as a universal standardized component that can be used across multiple clamping device sizes. This single standardized design allows easy replacement and prevents part mixing between different device sizes, while the device maintains adaptability to accommodate various clamping sizes through the standardized interface.
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 allows for efficient cleaning and sterilization of the clamping device without losing important parts, reduces reassembly time, and standardizes the locking element for easy replacement, enhancing handling and maintenance efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
together with a central spring are valuable parts of the device
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
An easy to clean clamping device (10) comprises at least one clamping assembly (20, 30) having two jaws (11, 12; 13, 14) providing at least one reception (71) to accommodate an element to be clamped along the longitudinal axis of said reception (71). A locking unit (40) is provided to allow closing of the jaws (11, 12; 13, 14) against the force of a spring element (15) comprising a shaft (44) extending along an axis (46) and through bores (21, 22, 23, 24) of the jaws (11, 12, 13, 14) and a head (42) for operating the clamping action abutting against the uppermost jaw (11). A locking element (50) is provided having a through bore and which locking element (50) can be arranged between the head (42) and the uppermost jaw (11), wherein one portion (51) of the locking unit (40) has a larger diameter than the bore (22) of the second jaw (12) and the head of the locking unit (40) has a smaller diameter than the bore (21) of the uppermost jaw (11). The locking element (50) comprises at least one locking surface (52) which can be brought into positive locking with a corresponding surface of the head (42) for blocking removal of the locking element (50).