Intestine Tissue Separation Using Self-Adjusting Elastic Guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for separating animal intestines from clusters of organs require skilled operators, leading to operator dependency, discomfort, and inefficiencies, particularly in handling deformable fatty tissue and blood vessels.
Innovation Solution
A tissue separating device with a guiding device featuring movable guiding members and a resilient member to adjust gap width, combined with a rotatable cutting member, reduces operator dependency by ensuring consistent separation and minimizes strain, allowing for high-quality results and faster processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a person separates the intestine by hand using a knife, then the separation can be performed with simple equipment, but the process requires educated and experienced operators, leading to operator dependency and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding members are designed to automatically adapt to the tissue thickness through elastic deformation, eliminating the need for operator adjustment. The system serves itself by using the tissue properties to control the guiding members' position, reducing operator dependency while maintaining equipment simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding members change their physical state (elastic deformation) in response to tissue thickness variations. This parameter change allows the system to automatically adapt to different tissue conditions without requiring operator intervention or complex control mechanisms
2Adaptability or versatility
If the operator controls the distance between guiding members by squeezing hand controls, then the device can accommodate intestines of slightly different sizes, but this leads to operator fatigue and dependency
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic guiding members automatically adjust their position based on the tissue thickness, eliminating the need for continuous operator control. The system self-regulates to accommodate different intestine sizes without causing operator fatigue
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding members transition from a static, manually-controlled system to a dynamic, self-adjusting system. The elastic properties allow the guiding members to continuously adapt to varying tissue thicknesses, providing versatility without operator intervention
3Adaptability or versatility
If the guiding members are forced apart by a biasing force, then the gap can be opened for large intestines, but the operator must continuously counteract this force, increasing strain and reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forcing the guiding members apart and requiring the operator to squeeze them together, the design inverts the force direction. The elastic members naturally want to move together, and the tissue itself provides the separating force, eliminating operator strain while maintaining full gap width adjustment capability
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 device enables less skilled workers to achieve consistent, high-quality intestine separation with reduced operator strain, facilitating automation and increasing processing speed and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member configured to exert a resilient member force on at least one of the first guiding member and the second guiding member, the resilient member force driving the first guiding member and the second guiding member towards each other
Data Source
AI summary
A tissue separating device for separating an intestine from a cluster of organs harvested from an animal includes a guiding device having at least one guiding surface configured to contact the intestine, and a tissue severing device configured to provide a separation in the tissue close to the intestine. The guiding device further includes a first guiding member and a second guiding member being movable with respect to each other to define a gap configured to accommodate said tissue. The gap has a variable gap width. The tissue severing device is configured to be operative in the gap, where the tissue separating device further includes a resilient member configured to exert a force on at least one of the first guiding member and the second guiding member, the resilient member force driving the first guiding member and the second guiding member towards each other.