Electrosurgical Selector Assembly with Color-Coded Visual Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrosurgical devices often require surgeons to switch between different devices to access multiple functions, leading to confusion due to the lack of clear visual indicators for the selected therapy current, potentially resulting in the wrong function being selected during a procedure.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical device with a selector assembly that moves between positions, aligning buttons with circuit board switches and indicators, providing a visual cue through transparent buttons to indicate the selected functional state, allowing a single button to switch between multiple functions while clearly signaling the selected function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple buttons are provided for multiple functions, then each function can be activated, but the surgeon cannot distinguish which therapy current is provided upon actuation, leading to potential selection errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-coded indicators (e.g., yellow for cut, blue for coagulate) that change or display different colors to represent different functional states. This allows the surgeon to visually distinguish which therapy current will be provided upon button actuation, eliminating the information loss while maintaining multiple function capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements visual feedback through indicators that immediately show the selected functional state before actuation. This feedback mechanism ensures the surgeon has complete information about which function will be activated, preventing selection errors while preserving device versatility.
2Reliability
If multiple devices are used for different functions, then each device provides its specific function, but the surgeon must switch devices during procedure, reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional capabilities (monopolar cut, bipolar coagulate, etc.) into a single device with a multi-position selector assembly. This allows the device to perform multiple functions without requiring the surgeon to switch between separate devices, thereby improving productivity while maintaining reliable function-specific performance through clearly indicated states.
3Device complexity
If a single button provides multiple functions, then device complexity is reduced, but the surgeon cannot identify which function is selected without visual indicators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color-coded visual indicators associated with a single multi-function button to clearly identify which therapy current will be provided. This maintains the benefit of reduced device complexity (fewer buttons) while ensuring ease of operation through intuitive visual identification of the selected function.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical device comprising: a) two or more functional states; b) a selector assembly that moves between at least a first position and a second position, the selector assembly including: i) one or more shuttles; ii) one or more buttons; iii) one or more circuit boards with one or more switches; and iv) one or more indicators; wherein the selector assembly in the first position is configured to provide a first one of the two or more functional states, and in the second position is configured to provide a second one of the two or more functional states; and wherein the one or more indicators communicates a first color, corresponding to the first functional state, and communicates a second color corresponding to the second functional state.