Surgical Clip Applier Unified Assembly Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of surgical clip appliers of varying sizes is complex and prone to errors due to different assembly procedures, leading to inefficiencies in production and increased chances of mistakes during technician training.
Innovation Solution
A surgical clip applier design featuring a unified mechanism with a housing, pivotable handles, a channel assembly, a clip carrier, a wedge plate, and a clip follower, which allows for the same assembly method across different sizes, utilizing a motion multiplier system and ratchet mechanism to efficiently load and fire clips of varying sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If different assembly procedures are used for various sized surgical clip appliers, then each size can be assembled correctly according to its specific requirements, but the complexity of the assembly process increases and error rates rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a standardized assembly procedure that can be used across multiple sizes of surgical clip appliers. The common components (housing, channel assembly, clip carrier, wedge plate, clip follower) are assembled using the same sequence and methods regardless of the final instrument size, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining accuracy through a unified approach.
2Adaptability or versatility
If technicians are trained on multiple assembly routines for different sized instruments, then they can assemble various sizes correctly, but the training time and potential for mistakes increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces training time and potential errors by establishing a universal assembly routine that technicians learn once and apply to all sizes of surgical clip appliers. The standardized procedure eliminates the need to memorize multiple different assembly sequences, allowing technicians to efficiently assemble any size instrument using the same fundamental steps.
3Productivity
If uniform assembly method is used for all sized surgical clip appliers, then production efficiency improves and errors reduce, but the ability to accommodate size-specific requirements may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves both uniformity and adaptability by using a standardized assembly sequence for common components while allowing size-specific variations in component dimensions and configurations. The same assembly steps (assembling housing with channel assembly, adding clip carrier, installing wedge plate and clip follower) apply to all sizes, but the components themselves are manufactured in different sizes to meet specific instrument requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Surgical clip appliers are provided and includes a channel assembly extending distally from a housing; a clip carrier disposed within said channel assembly and defining a channel and a plurality of windows therein; a plurality of clips slidably disposed within said channel of said clip carrier; a wedge plate reciprocally disposed within said channel assembly, said wedge plate being operatively connected to said handles and including a plurality of apertures formed along a length thereof; and a clip follower slidably disposed within said channel of said clip carrier and disposed proximally of said plurality of clips, said clip follower being configured and adapted for selective engagement with said windows of said clip carrier and said apertures of said wedge plate. The clip follower is configured and adapted to urge said plurality of clips, in a distal direction relative to said clip carrier, upon reciprocal movement of said wedge plate.