Drape Unit Adaptor for Medical Manipulator Sterility
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Solution Overview
Problem
In medical manipulator systems, there is a challenge in maintaining a clean and sterile environment around the drive sources on the base while allowing for the movement and operation of manipulators, as existing solutions do not effectively prevent contact between the manipulators and the exposed drive sources during their movement.
Innovation Solution
A drape unit comprising a drape main body that covers the top surface of the base and an adaptor that interposes between the drive source and the manipulator, covering the entire opening and providing a gap to prevent contact, while also allowing for horizontal movement of the drive source and its components, and incorporating features like step sections and water-proofing mechanisms to prevent fluid infiltration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drive source is exposed on the top surface of the base to allow manipulation and connection, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of contact and fluid infiltration between manipulators and drive sources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor serves as an intermediary component positioned between the manipulator and the drive source. It includes a connection portion that interfaces with the manipulator and a cover portion that covers the drive source, preventing direct contact and fluid infiltration while enabling functional connection and force transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptor is constructed with a flexible material that allows it to deform and move together with the drive source during horizontal movement. This flexibility maintains the protective barrier function while accommodating the dynamic movement of the drive source, preventing fluid infiltration throughout the operation range.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drive source is allowed to move horizontally to facilitate manipulation operation, then the adaptability is improved, but the complexity of maintaining coverage and preventing contact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor combines the connection function and the coverage function into a single integrated component. The connection portion and cover portion form one piece that moves together with the drive source, simplifying the structure while maintaining protection against fluid infiltration throughout the movement range.
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptor is designed to move dynamically together with the drive source in the horizontal direction. The flexible material allows the adaptor to deform and follow the drive source's movement, maintaining continuous coverage and protection without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the adaptor covers the entire opening to prevent contact, then the protection level is improved, but the ease of manufacture and assembly may be worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor is segmented into a connection portion and a cover portion, which can be designed and manufactured separately but function as an integrated unit. This segmentation allows for specialized manufacturing of each portion while maintaining the overall protective function when assembled.
Data Source
AI summary
To keep a clean area separated from an unclean area, a drape unit for separating the manipulator that has a treatment section at a distal end of an elongated section and that has at a proximal end a proximal-end drive unit from the base including, on a substantially horizontal top surface, a drive source to which the proximal-end drive unit is detachably connected, the drape unit includes: a drape main body that has an opening from which the drive source is exposed; and an adaptor that is interposed between the drive source and the proximal-end drive unit, that is disposed with a gap vertically above the opening, and that covers the entire opening, the adaptor includes a force transmission unit for transmitting the driving force from the drive source to the proximal-end drive unit.