Single-Piece Disposable Handle Cover for Surgical Lighthead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Disposable covers for surgical lightheads in sterile environments are typically constructed from multiple assembled pieces, leading to increased manufacturing, handling, and shipping costs and complexities.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece, integrally-formed disposable cover for the handle of a surgical lighthead, featuring a hollow body with a recessed lens, is injection molded as a unitary piece from clear thermoplastic resin, providing a secure and protective cover that reduces handling and shipping issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable covers are constructed from multiple assembled pieces, then the cover can provide comprehensive protection for the lighthead, but the manufacturing, handling and shipping costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate cover pieces into a single integrated disposable cover that encompasses the entire lighthead. This unitary construction eliminates the need for assembling multiple components, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and costs while maintaining comprehensive protective coverage for all sensitive areas of the lighthead.
Solution Approach 2:
The single-piece cover is designed to perform multiple protective functions simultaneously - protecting the lens, handle, and other sensitive components in one integrated structure. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate protective elements for different parts of the lighthead, simplifying both manufacturing and usage.
2Reliability
If disposable covers are constructed from multiple assembled pieces, then the cover can provide comprehensive protection, but the handling and shipping complexities increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple protective components into one single-piece cover, the patent eliminates the complexity of assembling and disassembling multiple parts during handling and shipping. The unified structure can be applied and removed as a single unit, significantly simplifying operational procedures.
3Reliability
If disposable covers are constructed from multiple assembled pieces, then the cover can provide comprehensive protection, but the manufacturing, handling and shipping expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple separate cover components into one integrated piece, reducing the total volume and weight of materials that need to be shipped. This single-piece construction eliminates the packaging and shipping requirements for multiple individual components, thereby reducing overall shipping expenses.
4Ease of operation
If the lens is exposed at the second end of the hollow body, then the lens is accessible for imaging, but the lens is vulnerable to unwanted contact and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates the lens within a recessed cavity in the disposable cover, creating a nested structure where the lens is protected inside the cover body. This recessed design allows the lens to remain accessible for imaging while being physically shielded from direct contact and potential damage during handling and use.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is a disposable cover handle cover for a surgical lighthead, and more particularly to a single-piece, integrally-formed disposable handle cover for a surgical lighthead and the like. The disposable cover includes a single-piece hollow member having a first open end adapted to receive the positioning handle of the surgical lighthead housing a camera and a second open end generally opposite the first end. The second end is closed off by a lens disposed within and integral with the hollow body.