Expandable Surgical Tool Distal Tips With Single-Bond Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional distal tip designs for uterine manipulators require multiple glue joints for securing the expandable member to the shaft, making automation and manual assembly difficult and prone to failure.
Innovation Solution
A distal tip design featuring an expandable member secured to the tip body with a single chemical bond, such as an overmolded bond, allowing for a secure attachment and simplified assembly process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple glue joints are used to secure the expandable member to the shaft, then the attachment strength is improved, but the assembly complexity and failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate glue joints into a single integrated chemical bond interface. The expandable member and tip body are designed with complementary bonding surfaces that form one continuous chemical bond, eliminating the need for multiple discrete adhesive applications and reducing assembly steps while maintaining attachment strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a chemical bond as an intermediary mechanism between the expandable member and tip body. This chemical bond serves as a superior mediator compared to mechanical glue joints, providing both the necessary strength and the simplified single-step attachment that resolves the contradiction between strength and complexity.
2Strength
If multiple glue joints are used to secure the expandable member to the shaft, then the attachment strength is improved, but the reliability decreases due to increased failure points
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple potential failure points (multiple glue joints) into a single chemical bond interface, the patent reduces the number of places where attachment failure can occur. The single chemical bond creates a unified attachment system with fewer weak points, thereby improving reliability while maintaining the necessary attachment strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable distal tip design where the entire tip assembly (including the expandable member and tip body) is replaced as a single unit. This approach accepts the limitation of a single-use component but gains significant reliability by eliminating complex multi-joint attachments that would require precise assembly and quality control.
3Strength
If multiple glue joints are used to secure the expandable member to the shaft, then the attachment strength is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manual assembly steps (applying multiple glue joints) into a single chemical bond formation process. This can be achieved through one-step molding, ultrasonic welding, or other single-pass manufacturing techniques that create the chemical bond between the expandable member and tip body without requiring multiple positioning and adhesive application steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of multiple glue joints with a chemical bond mechanism that can be formed through chemical or thermal processes during manufacturing. This substitution enables automated production and simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for precise mechanical alignment and multiple adhesive application steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The single-seal attachment method enhances reliability and ease of assembly, reducing failure points and improving the durability of the uterine manipulator.
Implementation Method 1
The expandable member is secured to the attachment surface with a chemical bond
Implementation Method 2
The expandable member is adjustable between an expanded configuration in which at least a portion of the expandable member extends radially outward from the tip body and a collapsed configuration in which at least the portion of the expandable member is oriented substantially parallel to the tip body
Data Source
AI summary
A distal tip of a surgical tool includes a tip body and an expandable member that extends around the tip body. The tip body defines an end portion that defines an attachment surface and an elongate member that is configured to be inserted within a tubular shaft of the surgical tool. The elongate member also defines a recessed channel that terminates at the end portion. The expandable member is secured to the attachment surface with a chemical bond and is adjustable between an expanded configuration in which at least a portion of the expandable member extends radially outward from the tip body and a collapsed configuration in which at least the portion of the expandable member is oriented substantially parallel to the tip body.