Guide Sleeve Quick Coupling With Centering and Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical quick coupling systems for guide sleeves are time-consuming and difficult to align, lacking centric clamping and providing unreliable feedback on correct height and orientation. Additionally, existing systems are limited to instruments with a single diameter, requiring multiple instrument sets for different applications.
Innovation Solution
A medical quick coupling system that allows for tool-free connection of guide sleeves with different inner diameters, enabling easy and accurate connection of various medical instruments or devices to robot-guided surgery systems or mechanical arm alignment systems. The system features a quick coupling mechanism with a radially outer actuating sleeve and a coupling mechanism that moves from a disengaged to an engaged position upon guide sleeve insertion, providing clear haptic and optical feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw solution is used to fix the guide sleeve, then the guide sleeve can be securely fixed to the interface, but the connection process takes a lot of time and requires two user interactions (screwing and unscrewing)
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static screw fixation to a dynamic quick-coupling mechanism with two positions: a receiving position for easy insertion and a fixing position for secure connection. The actuating sleeve can be moved between these positions to quickly connect or disconnect the guide sleeve without threading operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a carrier sleeve that holds the guide sleeve, an actuating sleeve for operation, and a coupling mechanism with disengaged and engaged positions. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component for its specific function.
2Ease of manufacture
If a lateral screw is used for fixation, then the guide sleeve can be attached, but centric clamping is not achieved which influences the preciseness and angle of the working axis
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism features an asymmetric design where the actuating sleeve applies force at specific points on the guide sleeve. This asymmetric force application ensures centric clamping and proper alignment of the working axis while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism automatically ensures centric alignment through its design. When the actuating sleeve is moved to the fixing position, the coupling mechanism inherently centers the guide sleeve without requiring additional alignment operations or tools from the user.
3Device complexity
If a fixed diameter guide sleeve is used, then the structure is simple, but the application is limited to instruments with only one diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The quick-coupling system is designed as a universal interface that can accommodate guide sleeves with different diameters. The actuating sleeve and coupling mechanism are configured to adapt to various sizes while maintaining the same basic operation method, eliminating the need for multiple specialized instrument sets.
4Ease of operation
If a lateral screw fixation is used, then the guide sleeve can be attached, but there is no reliable feedback as to whether the guide sleeve is connected at the correct height and orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism incorporates clear feedback indicators that provide tactile and visual information about the connection state. When the actuating sleeve is moved to the fixing position, the user receives reliable feedback that the guide sleeve is correctly connected at the proper height and orientation, eliminating uncertainty about connection correctness.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical quick coupling system includes a guide sleeve into which a medical instrument or medical device can be received and aligned or oriented. A quick coupling includes a radially inner carrier sleeve, in which the guide sleeve can be received and aligned or oriented, and a radially outer actuating sleeve that is movable relative to the carrier sleeve, with a receiving position and a fixing position. A coupling mechanism is arranged between the actuating sleeve and carrier sleeve, so that insertion of the guide sleeve into the quick coupling moves the coupling mechanism from a disengaged position to an engaged position. The coupling mechanism thereby disengages the actuating sleeve from the receiving position into the fixing position. Actuation of the actuating sleeve from the fixing position against a pretension force into the receiving position moves the coupling mechanism from the engaged position into the disengaged position.