Surgical Clip Applier Trigger Mechanism and Overload Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical clip appliers face challenges with complex mechanical designs due to the need for precise timing and coordinated movement, leading to increased costs and issues with accidental clip projection and overload handling, particularly when dealing with varying vessel sizes or foreign objects.
Innovation Solution
A surgical clip applier with a trigger-actuated mechanism that includes a feeder shoe and feed bar system, allowing for controlled advancement and formation of clips, and an overload mechanism to prevent excessive force application, ensuring secure clip application without deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a spring-loaded clip advancing assembly is used to advance clips through the shaft, then clip advancement is automated, but the device complexity increases due to the need for mechanisms to prevent accidental projection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the spring-loaded advancing assembly from the device, replacing it with a manual feed bar mechanism. This removes the complex automated advancement system while maintaining clip advancement capability through simpler manual operation, directly reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The feeder shoe is designed to hold multiple clips and advance them automatically as the feed bar moves distally, eliminating the need for separate spring-loaded mechanisms for each clip advancement. The system serves itself by using the feed bar's movement to sequentially advance clips without additional automated components.
2Reliability
If full closure of the jaws is required, then complete ligation is achieved, but overload on the jaws occurs when the vessel or duct is too large or a foreign object is present
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a two-stage trigger mechanism where the first stage advances the clip to the jaws and the second stage closes the jaws. This allows partial closure to be achieved without full force application, preventing overload while still completing the ligation process when appropriate.
Solution Approach 2:
The jaw closing mechanism is designed to be dynamic, allowing the surgeon to control the closure force and extent. The trigger mechanism enables progressive closure rather than forced full closure, adapting to the actual tissue conditions and preventing overload on oversized vessels or foreign objects.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise timing and coordinated movement of components are implemented, then clip formation accuracy is improved, but the mechanical design becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the clip advancement and jaw closing functions into a single trigger mechanism with two stages. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate coordinated mechanisms, reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining precise timing through the integrated trigger stroke sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed bar serves multiple functions: it advances the feeder shoe distally, positions clips for formation, and works in coordination with the jaw closing mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall mechanical design while maintaining precise operational sequencing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided having a housing with a trigger movably coupled thereto and an elongate shaft extending therefrom with opposed jaws formed on a distal end thereof. The trigger is adapted to advance a clip to position the clip between the jaws, and to move the jaws from an open position to a closed position to crimp the clip positioned therebetween.