Laparoscopic Forceps Jaw Alignment via Segmented Camming Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laparoscopic forceps face challenges with misalignment and insufficient force for tissue dissection due to uneven camming forces and complex mechanical linkages, which can hinder precise movement and effective gripping during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a laparoscopic forceps with a handpiece, a tubular member, and jaws that are movable relative to each other, featuring a camming shaft and spacing members like pins or crimped material to ensure aligned jaw movement and sufficient force for dissection, while maintaining the ability to accommodate a reciprocating blade without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a camming action is used to close the jaws, then the gripping force is improved, but the jaw alignment and blade alignment deteriorate due to uneven forces and drag on the blade
Solution Approach 1:
The camming shaft is segmented with separate camming surfaces for each jaw, allowing independent control of forces applied to each jaw. This segmentation enables equal and opposite forces to be applied, maintaining jaw alignment while still providing effective gripping force.
Solution Approach 2:
The camming shaft acts as an intermediary mechanism between the actuator and the jaws. It translates rotational motion into controlled linear motion of the jaws, ensuring that forces are applied equally and oppositely to maintain alignment while enabling the blade to move freely through the gap.
2Force
If mechanical linkages are added to control jaw movement for tissue dissection, then the force for tissue movement is improved, but the device complexity increases with multiple delicate parts
Solution Approach 1:
The camming shaft serves multiple functions: it controls jaw closure, maintains jaw alignment, enables jaw opening through spacing members, and allows blade reciprocation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate mechanical linkages, reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to apply sufficient force for tissue dissection.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacing members are integrated with the camming shaft structure, combining the jaw opening function with the existing camming mechanism. This integration eliminates separate mechanical linkages for jaw opening, simplifying the device while maintaining controlled force application for tissue movement.
3Device complexity
If the tubular member has a circular cross-section, then the device simplicity is maintained, but the jaw alignment deteriorates due to lack of geometric constraint
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular member transitions from a circular to a non-circular cross-section at the distal end. This asymmetric geometry provides geometric constraints that guide and align the jaws, ensuring proper positioning and movement while maintaining simplicity in the overall device structure.
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 configuration enhances jaw alignment and provides sufficient force for effective tissue dissection, simplifies the device structure, and reduces the complexity of mechanical linkages, improving the precision and efficiency of laparoscopic surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
the tubular member advances over the arcuate section of the pair of jaws, and the pair of jaws are openable by the relative movement of the tubular member and the pair of jaws away from each other so that the one or more spacing members extend between the pair of jaws so that the pair of jaws are moved apart
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A1~2C2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A laparoscopic forceps comprising a handpiece including a distal end portion; a tubular member protruding from the distal end portion of the handpiece, the tubular member having a distal end with a distal opening, a pair of jaws having legs that are disposed within the tubular member and partially protruding from the distal opening, the jaws and the tubular member being movable relative to each other; wherein each of the jaws has an arcuate section; an operable mechanism for creating relative motion between the jaws and the tubular member along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, and one or more spacing members extending across the distal opening of the tubular member and between the jaws; wherein the jaws are closable by the relative movement of the tubular member and the jaws towards each other so that the tubular member advances over the arcuate section of the jaws, and the jaws are openable by the relative movement of the tubular member and the jaws away from each other so that the one or more spacing members extend between the jaws and the jaws are moved apart.