Surgical Clip Applier Counter Assembly Unidirectional Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical clip appliers lack a reliable mechanism to indicate the number of remaining clips, making it difficult for users to determine when the final clip has been fired.
Innovation Solution
A counter assembly is integrated into the surgical clip applier, comprising a housing, a stationary post with locking teeth, a counting wheel with visible indicia, and an actuation wheel that rotates unidirectionally to display the remaining clip count through a window on the handle assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a counter assembly is integrated into the surgical clip applier to indicate remaining clips, then the information availability about clip count is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The counter assembly is nested within the handle assembly of the surgical clip applier. The housing of the counter assembly is received within the handle assembly, and the counting wheel is positioned to rotate within the housing. This nesting approach provides clip count information without significantly increasing the overall device footprint or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The counter assembly automatically tracks and displays the number of remaining clips through its mechanical counting mechanism. The actuator is supported on the rack bar for translation therewith, and the protrusion of the actuator engages the actuation features to rotate the counting wheel automatically as clips are fired, eliminating the need for manual tracking by the user.
2Measurement precision
If the actuation wheel includes inner fingers to engage locking teeth and prohibit multidirectional rotation, then the measurement precision of clip count is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation wheel includes a plurality of inner fingers configured to selectively engage with a plurality of locking teeth on the stationary post. This asymmetric engagement mechanism allows unidirectional rotation of the counting wheel, ensuring that the clip count indicator only moves in the correct direction and cannot be accidentally reversed, thereby improving measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner fingers are made resilient and flexible, allowing them to flex during engagement with the locking teeth. This simple, durable design uses basic elastic materials rather than complex mechanical components, achieving reliable unidirectional rotation prevention without excessive complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the actuator translates between proximal and distal positions to rotate the counting wheel, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is combined with the rack bar, which is already part of the clip firing mechanism. The actuator is supported on the rack bar for translation therewith, so that the existing reciprocating motion of the rack bar during clip firing automatically drives the actuator to translate between proximal and distal positions, which in turn rotates the counting wheel. This merging eliminates the need for a separate manual counting operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator serves multiple functions: it translates in response to rack bar motion, engages the actuation features on the actuation wheel to rotate the counting wheel, and provides the mechanical link between the clip firing mechanism and the counter indication system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
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 counter assembly effectively indicates the number of remaining surgical clips, allowing users to track the clip usage and preventing multidirectional rotation, ensuring accurate tracking of clip usage during procedures.
Implementation Method 1
Each inner finger of the plurality of inner fingers is resilient and flexible
Implementation Method 2
The protrusion of the actuator engages the plurality of actuation features to rotate the counting wheel to adjust the indicia of the counting wheel when the actuator transitions between the proximal position and the distal position
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
A counter assembly includes a first housing half, a second housing half, a stationary post, a counting wheel, an actuation wheel, and an actuator. The stationary post is positioned within the first housing half and includes a plurality of locking teeth. The counting wheel includes indicia. The actuation wheel includes a plurality of actuation features and a plurality of inner fingers configured to selectively engage with the plurality of locking teeth of the stationary post. The engagement of the plurality of inner fingers and the plurality of locking teeth prohibit multidirectional rotation of the counting wheel. The actuator includes a protrusion projecting therefrom. The actuator is positioned to translate between a proximal position and a distal position. The protrusion of the actuator engages the plurality of actuation features to rotate the counting wheel to adjust the indicia thereof when the actuator transitions from the proximal position and the distal position.