Surgical Clip Applier Jaw Stability and Lockout Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical clip appliers face challenges in minimizing incision size, reducing torque on jaws, and preventing dry firing during minimally invasive procedures, while ensuring easy assembly and providing redundant signals for successful clip application.
Innovation Solution
A surgical clip applier with a mechanism that stabilizes jaws, includes a lockout mechanism to prevent firing when clips are depleted, and features a signaling device to alert the surgeon of clip application, utilizing a trigger, rack, pawl, and biasing elements to ensure proper operation and prevent accidental firing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the surgical clip applier is designed with a stable jaw structure, then jaw stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The jaw structure is divided into separate components including a jaw body, jaw tip, and stabilizing elements that can be independently assembled. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while maintaining overall jaw stability without requiring a completely complex integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The jaw tip is nested within or attached to the jaw body structure, and stabilizing elements are integrated into the jaw assembly. This nesting approach allows multiple functional elements to be combined in a space-efficient manner, improving jaw stability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
2Reliability
If a lockout mechanism is added to prevent dry firing, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lockout mechanism includes a lockout arm and lockout spring that are pre-positioned to automatically engage with the trigger mechanism when clips are depleted. This preliminary positioning ensures that the safety function is activated in advance without requiring complex real-time monitoring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The lockout mechanism operates autonomously through the interaction between the lockout arm, lockout spring, and trigger assembly. When the clip supply is exhausted, the mechanism self-activates to prevent further firing without requiring external control or complex electronic sensors.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the incision size is reduced, then patient trauma is reduced, but the difficulty of assembling and operating the instrument increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical clip applier is divided into modular components including the handle, shaft, jaw assembly, and clip supply mechanism that can be separately manufactured and assembled. This segmentation enables each component to be optimized for minimal size while maintaining functionality, reducing overall instrument diameter and patient trauma.
Solution Approach 2:
The trigger mechanism serves multiple functions including firing the clip, resetting the jaw, and interacting with the lockout mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, allowing the instrument to maintain ease of operation despite the reduced size constraints of minimally invasive design.
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 enhances the ease of use and safety of surgical procedures by maintaining jaw stability, preventing dry firing, and providing clear feedback on clip application, thereby reducing trauma to the patient and improving procedural efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing element has a biasing force configured to bias the pawl towards the rack
Implementation Method 2
The rack is slidably supported within the handle portion, is in mechanical communication with the trigger, and is configured to translate from a first, proximal position, to a second, distal position
Data Source
AI summary
A ratchet assembly for use with an apparatus for applying surgical clips to body tissue includes a pawl and a biasing element. The pawl is slidably supported within a handle portion of the apparatus. The biasing element is supported by the handle portion and is in mechanical communication with the pawl. The biasing element has a biasing force configured to bias the pawl towards the rack such that the rack is permitted to translate in a distal direction, but is selectively inhibited from translating in a proximal direction until the rack is in a distal-most position. When the rack is urged in a proximal direction, the pawl exerts a force on the biasing element. When the force exerted on the biasing element is greater than the biasing force, the biasing element deflects allowing the pawl to disengage from the rack and permit the rack to translate in a proximal direction.