Endoscopic Probe Angled Geometry Reduces Microscope Collision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopic probes used in microsurgery often face challenges in being ergonomic while avoiding collisions with surgical microscopes, as existing designs do not effectively manage the angles and dimensions to prevent collisions and ensure ease of use.
Innovation Solution
The endoscopic probe features a handle with a shaft and grip portion arranged at specific angles (100-140 degrees) to minimize collision risk with surgical microscopes, while maintaining ergonomic comfort, with a cable outlet designed to emerge at a minimal angle to avoid interference during rotation and insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the shaft axis encloses the grip portion axis at an angle of 90 degrees, then the risk of collision with surgical microscope is minimized, but the rotation in situ and safe insertion become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the angular parameter from the conventional 90 degrees to a range of 100-140 degrees (preferably 115-125 degrees). This parameter modification simultaneously achieves two goals: it maintains sufficiently low collision risk with the surgical microscope while enabling smooth rotation in situ and safe insertion of the probe
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the total length in the direction of the grip portion axis is kept short, then the risk of collision with surgical microscope is reduced, but the ergonomic comfort may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent redistributes the probe's dimensions by optimizing the angular relationships between shaft axis, grip portion axis, and rear end axis. This dimensional reconfiguration allows the probe to maintain a short total length in the grip portion axis direction (reducing collision risk) while preserving ergonomic comfort through proper spatial arrangement of functional components
3Ease of manufacture
If the cable emerges from the rear end at a large angle, then the cable can be easily routed, but the cable may impede the user during rotation of the probe in situ
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that the cable should emerge from the rear end at a minimal angle (not more than 20 degrees, preferably not more than 10 degrees, with respect to the rear end axis). This angular parameter optimization facilitates easy cable routing while ensuring the cable does not impede the user during rotation of the probe in situ
Data Source
AI summary
An endoscopic probe includes a handle with a front end, a rear end with a rear end axis and, extending between the front end and the rear end, a straight grip portion with a grip portion axis. The probe further includes a shaft extending from the front end of the handle and having a shaft axis, and a cable issuing from the rear end. The shaft axis, the rear end axis and the grip portion axis lie within a common plane. The shaft axis encloses an angle in the range of 100 to 140 degrees with the grip portion axis, the grip portion axis encloses an angle in the range of 110 to 130 degrees with the rear end axis, and the shaft axis encloses an angle in the range of 30 to 90 degrees with the rear end axis.