Medical Instrument Blank With Solder Chamber for Hard Metal Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing process for connecting hard metal inserts to instrument body part blanks in medical instruments is labor-intensive and costly, leading to defects, corrosion, and mechanical strength issues due to inadequate solder distribution and excessive solder use.
Innovation Solution
A semi-finished instrument design featuring a metal instrument body part blank with a distal end recess for accommodating a hard metal element, and a solder chamber fluidically connected to the recess, allowing for precise solder dosing and capillary action to ensure a reliable solder connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a generous excess of solder is applied from the outside to ensure sufficient solder in the solder gap, then the solder connection reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manual rework requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The solder chamber is pre-filled with solder before the hardening process. This preliminary action ensures that the exact amount of solder needed is already in position, eliminating the need for applying excess solder from the outside and subsequent manual rework to remove it.
Solution Approach 2:
The solder chamber acts as an intermediary structure that stores and delivers the precise amount of solder to the solder gap. This mediator ensures controlled solder distribution without requiring external application or excessive solder material.
2Reliability
If hard metal inserts are produced significantly oversized to accommodate excess solder, then the solder connection reliability is improved, but the manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hard metal inserts are produced in their final, correctly dimensioned form before assembly. The solder chamber is subsequently filled with solder, eliminating the need to produce oversized inserts and then grind them down, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct steps: first producing the hard metal inserts to final dimensions, then separately filling the solder chamber with solder. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured efficiently without requiring oversizing for solder accommodation.
3Reliability
If manual grinding process is used to rework excess solder and hard metal insert overhang, then the solder connection reliability is improved, but the processing time and corrosion risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The solder chamber is pre-filled with the exact amount of solder needed before hardening. This preliminary action prevents the formation of excess solder that would require manual grinding, thereby reducing processing time and eliminating the associated corrosion risk from heating during grinding.
4Reliability
If excess solder is provided to ensure sufficient solder in the solder gap, then the solder connection reliability is improved, but the chromium depletion and corrosion susceptibility increase
Solution Approach 1:
The solder chamber is pre-filled with the precise amount of solder required for the connection. This preliminary action prevents the use of excess solder that would cause chromium depletion in the diffusion zone, thereby maintaining corrosion resistance without compromising connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The solder quantity is precisely controlled by changing the parameter of solder chamber volume. This parameter change ensures that only the necessary amount of solder is used, preventing chromium depletion and the associated corrosion susceptibility while maintaining reliable solder connections.
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
This solution enables a precise and reliable solder connection between the hard metal insert and the instrument body part blank, reducing defects, corrosion risk, and processing time, while improving mechanical strength and process security.
Implementation Method 1
The solder chamber (68) is fluidically connected to the recess (38).
Data Source
AI summary
A medical instrument and a semi-finished instrument. The semi-finished instrument includes an instrument body part blank for forming an instrument body part of the medical instrument. The instrument body part blank is made of a metal, in particular an instrument steel. The semi-finished instrument also includes a distal end region and a recess on the distal end region for accommodating a hard metal element. The recess has an abutment face for the hard metal element. The instrument body part blank includes a solder chamber for accommodating solder. The solder chamber is fluidically connected to the recess.