Electro-surgical Forceps Replaceable Tip Groove Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electro-surgical bipolar forceps require sterilization between uses and often suffer from misaligned tips, necessitating costly realignment or manufacturer intervention.

Innovation Solution

Design of electro-surgical bipolar forceps with replaceable tip assemblies featuring a groove system for precise alignment, allowing for easy disposal and replacement of tips, ensuring proper orientation and preventing misalignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If tips are fixedly attached to handles, then structural stability is maintained, but sterilization requirements and misalignment issues arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetip alignment reliabilityVSAvoidsterilization process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The forceps are divided into replaceable tip assemblies and handle components. The tip assembly can be detached from the handle, allowing the tip to be sterilized separately or replaced without sterilizing the entire forceps instrument. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining structural stability through proper connection mechanisms while eliminating the need for complex sterilization processes for the entire device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tip assembly is designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component. After use, the tip can be discarded and replaced with a new assembly, eliminating the need for sterilization of the tip itself. This principle resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability through consistent tip performance while avoiding the complexity and cost of sterilization processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Manufacturing precision

If tips are fixedly attached, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but misalignment occurs after multiple uses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetip alignment precisionVSAvoidassembly process simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Alignment features such as grooves and corresponding protrusions are built into the tip assembly and handle during manufacturing. These features ensure that when the tip assembly is attached to the handle, the tips automatically align correctly without requiring complex assembly procedures or post-manufacturing realignment. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by maintaining manufacturing precision while keeping the assembly process simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If replaceable electrodes are used, then sterilization burden is reduced, but tip shape and size variability is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterilization easeVSAvoidtip configuration versatility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The handle is designed with universal connection features that can accommodate multiple different tip assembly designs. The standardized interface allows for various tip configurations (different shapes, sizes, and geometries) to be attached to the same handle, providing versatility while maintaining ease of operation. This resolves the contradiction by reducing sterilization burden through replaceability while enabling tip configuration versatility through standardized universal interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Duration of action of stationary object

If tips require realignment after misalignment, then forceps reusability is maintained, but maintenance costs and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforceps reuse durationVSAvoidmaintenance time

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The tip assembly is designed as a disposable component that is replaced rather than repaired or realigned after use. This eliminates the need for maintenance time and costs associated with realignment procedures. The replacement process is quick and simple, resolving the contradiction by maintaining reuse duration through proper tip design while minimizing maintenance time and costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Alignment features are built into the tip assembly during manufacturing, ensuring that tips remain properly aligned throughout their service life. The grooves and positioning features prevent misalignment during use, eliminating the need for post-use realignment. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by maintaining reuse duration while preventing maintenance time losses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10751111B2Electro-surgical bipolar forceps

Publication Date: 2020.08.25 INTEGRA LIFESCI SWITZERLAND SARL

AI summary

An electro-surgical bipolar forceps includes a first tip and a second tip, each having a body. The body has a distal end and a proximal end. The body has a first groove having a substantially planar base proximate the proximal end. A substantially planar face is proximate to the distal end of the tip body. The base and the face on each tip define planes that are approximately perpendicular with respect to each other. A tip assembly includes a tip and an engagement plug. When making the tip assembly, a planar surface on the engagement plug is aligned with the planar base of the groove in the tip. Then the tip is connected to the engagement plug.