Endoscopic Tool Assembly Articulation via Handle Pivoting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscopic surgical devices lack the capability for multiple degrees of operation and motion, which is essential for reducing the number of incisions required during minimally invasive surgeries.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a handle assembly connected to a tube assembly and an articulation assembly, allowing for rotation, translation, and omni-directional tilting, which results in concomitant articulation of the tool assembly, enabling a pair of jaws to open, close, and rotate, facilitating complex surgical maneuvers through a combination of joints and articulation cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple degrees of operation and motion are added to the surgical device, then surgical dexterity and precision are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the inner shaft is positioned within the outer tube, and the articulation assembly is positioned within the tube assembly. This nesting allows multiple functional components to be integrated in a compact configuration, providing multiple degrees of operation (rotation, articulation, translation) while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure that can be inserted through small incisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical device is divided into distinct functional segments: handle assembly, tube assembly, articulation assembly, and tool assembly. Each segment provides specific degrees of motion or operation. The handle assembly controls rotation, the articulation assembly provides articulation in multiple directions, and the tool assembly executes surgical maneuvers. This segmentation allows complex multi-degree functionality to be achieved through coordinated simple components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the number of incisions is reduced to minimize patient trauma, then invasiveness is reduced, but surgical device versatility must be increased to compensate
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical device is designed as a multi-functional system where a single device can perform multiple surgical tasks through different combinations of motions. The tool assembly can rotate about the longitudinal axis, articulate in multiple directions through the articulation assembly, and translate along the inner shaft. This universality allows one device inserted through a single incision to replace multiple specialized instruments that would otherwise require multiple incisions.
3Ease of operation
If multiple joints and articulation mechanisms are added to enable omni-directional movement, then surgical dexterity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates dynamic articulation capabilities where the articulation assembly can move in multiple directions (upward, downward, leftward, rightward) relative to the tube assembly. The tool assembly can also rotate independently. These dynamic degrees of freedom are controlled through the handle assembly, allowing the surgeon to adjust the orientation and position of the tool tip in three-dimensional space, greatly enhancing surgical dexterity.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an endoscopic surgical device is provided and includes a handle assembly; a tube assembly operatively supported on and extending from the handle assembly, the tube assembly defining a longitudinal axis; an articulation assembly operatively supported on and extending from a distal end of the tube assembly; and a tool assembly operatively supported on and extending from a distal end of the articulation assembly. In use, a rotation of the handle assembly about the longitudinal axis results in a concomitant rotation of the tool assembly; an actuation of the handle assembly in a particular manner results in a concomitant actuation of the tool assembly; and a pivoting of the handle assembly in any off-axis direction relative to the longitudinal axis results in a concomitant articulation of the tool assembly via the articulation assembly.