Forceps Jaw Tongue Guide for Blade Damage Prevention

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrosurgical forceps require additional components for blade guidance, increasing complexity and cost due to the need for separate blade guides to prevent blade damage from contacting jaw components during extension.

Innovation Solution

The use of tongues or tissue stops integrated into the jaws to guide the blade's distal translation, reducing the number of components needed by utilizing existing tissue stops to also function as blade guides.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate blade guides are added to prevent blade damage, then blade protection is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade protectionVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tissue stop is designed to perform dual functions: limiting proximal movement of tissue during sealing and guiding the blade during extension. By integrating the blade guidance function into the existing tissue stop structure, the patent eliminates the need for separate blade guide components while maintaining both tissue sealing and blade protection functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the tissue stop and blade guide into a single integrated component. The tissue stop structure is modified to include blade-guiding surfaces, merging two previously separate functions into one unified element, thereby reducing component count and simplifying the overall device architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If additional blade guide components are included, then blade damage prevention is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade damage preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The tissue stop is designed to perform dual functions: limiting proximal movement of tissue during sealing and guiding the blade during extension. By integrating the blade guidance function into the existing tissue stop structure, the patent eliminates the need for separate blade guide components while maintaining both tissue sealing and blade protection functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the tissue stop and blade guide into a single integrated component. The tissue stop structure is modified to include blade-guiding surfaces, merging two previously separate functions into one unified element, thereby reducing component count and simplifying the overall device architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12096952B2Forceps blade guide

Publication Date: 2024.09.24 GYRUS ACMI INC

AI summary

Surgical forceps can include a jaw, a blade, and a tongue. The jaw can include a grip surface defining a slot. The blade can be configured to reciprocate along the slot between an extended position and a retracted position. The tongue can be connected to the jaw where at least a portion of the tongue can be located proximal of the grip surface to guide the blade into the blade slot when the blade moves from the retracted position into the blade slot.