Interlocking Petal Instrument Seal for Durable Surgical Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical access assemblies face challenges in providing durable seals that can accommodate a wide range of surgical instrumentation sizes and withstand multiple insertions and withdrawals, while also protecting against damage from sharp edges.
Innovation Solution
The surgical access assembly incorporates an instrument seal with interlocking petals that transition from an unfolded to a folded configuration, featuring a frame with living hinges and extenders, and a centering mechanism with a guard assembly and retainer to protect the seal during instrument insertion and withdrawal, ensuring a sealed passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional circular or square seal design is used, then the seal structure is simple to manufacture, but the seal cannot effectively conform to irregularly shaped access ports resulting in poor sealing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple petal-shaped segments that can independently flex and conform to the access port geometry. Each petal acts as an independent sealing element that can adapt to irregular contours, allowing the seal to effectively seal non-circular and non-square access ports while maintaining a manageable structure through modular segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal incorporates flexible hinges connecting the petal segments, enabling the structure to dynamically adapt its shape. This dynamic flexibility allows the seal to conform to various access port geometries (circular, square, irregular) while maintaining sealing contact, transforming a static rigid structure into an adaptive dynamic system.
2Reliability
If the seal is made flexible to conform to access ports, then sealing effectiveness improves, but the seal may collapse or deform during insertion and removal of instruments
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the seal into petal units connected by hinges, the structure gains controlled flexibility where needed (at hinge joints) while maintaining overall structural integrity. The segmented design allows local adaptation without compromising global stability, preventing collapse during instrument manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal combines flexible materials with hinge mechanisms to create a composite structure that exhibits both flexibility for conforming and rigidity for stability. The hinge design provides mechanical support while allowing controlled movement, creating a composite system that balances flexibility and structural integrity.
3Reliability
If the seal has multiple petals to cover irregular access ports, then sealing coverage improves, but the number of components increases making assembly and manufacturing more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple petal segments are merged into a single integrated seal assembly where the hinges connect the petals in a unified structure. This merging approach allows the seal to cover irregular access ports effectively while simplifying manufacturing, as the entire multi-petal structure can be produced as one component rather than assembling separate pieces.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-petal seal design creates a universal sealing solution that can accommodate various access port geometries (circular, square, irregular shapes) with a single seal type. This multi-functionality improves sealing coverage across different port configurations while maintaining consistent manufacturing processes, as the same petal-hinge structure adapts to different geometries.
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 solution provides enhanced durability and protection against damage, maintaining a fluid-tight barrier for surgical instruments of varying sizes and shapes, while minimizing seal tearing and ensuring consistent sealing performance.
Implementation Method 1
a frame (170) with petals (162a-f) that are flexibly coupled to the frame
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A surgical access assembly (100) comprising a housing (110); a tubular member (102) extending from the housing; a valve assembly (120) disposed in the housing (110), the valve assembly including a guard assembly (140) having a central orifice (146), and an instrument seal (160) having a central hole (176) aligned with the central orifice (146) of the guard assembly (140), the instrument seal including a frame (170) with petals (162a-f) that are flexibly coupled to the frame, the instrument seal (160) having an unfolded configuration defined by the petals extending away from a center of the frame (170) and a folded configuration defined by the petals (162a-f) folded towards the central hole (176) of the instrument seal wherein each petal at least partially overlaps an adjacent petal such that the petals interlock, characterized in that each petal (162a-f) is a five-sided main panel (150a-f), with holes (168) extending therethrough, the five sides comprising a first side (161a-f) that is flexibly coupled to the frame (170), second and third sides (163a-f, 165a-f) that extend from the first side (161a-f) in a divergent manner; and fourth and fifth sides (167a-f, 169a-f) having equal lengths that interconnect the second and third sides (163a-f, 165a-f) and that are angled towards the first side (161a-f) such that they meet at a point that would bisect the first side (161a-f), the fourth and fifth sides being oriented such that they define an angle between 120° and 160°; and first and second extenders (164a-f, 166a-f) are attached to the fourth and fifth sides (167a-f, 169a-f) of each petal (162a-f), respectively, each extender including a hole (168) extending therethrough, the first and second extenders having equal lengths and meeting at a wedge (173a-f) that is also located at a point that would bisect the first side (161a-f).