Laparoscopic Oximetry Probe Modularity With Misalignment-Tolerant Coupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing oximeters face challenges in improving form factor, modularity, measurement accuracy, cost, size, and power consumption, while ensuring efficient sterility and ecological conservation.

Innovation Solution

A laparoscopic oximeter design featuring a reusable probe unit and detachable disposable laparoscopic tube, with optical fibers having different numerical apertures for alignment and calibration, and alignment systems to ensure accurate oximetry measurements even with misalignment, and NFC tags for calibration data transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If a reusable probe unit with costly circuitry is used, then cost savings and ecological conservation are achieved, but sterility efficiency is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost savingsVSAvoidsterility efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The oximeter is divided into two segments: a reusable probe unit containing costly circuitry and a disposable laparoscopic tube. This segmentation allows the expensive electronic components to be reused while only the sterile portion is discarded, achieving both cost savings and sterility efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The reusable probe unit is extracted from the disposable laparoscopic tube. The probe unit can be detached and reused across multiple procedures, while only the tube that enters the sterile field is disposed of, resolving the contradiction between reusability and sterility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If optical fibers with different numerical apertures are used, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoximetry measurement accuracyVSAvoidoptical fiber configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different sections of the optical fiber system have different numerical apertures optimized for their specific functions: the probe unit uses fibers with one numerical aperture for light emission, while the laparoscopic tube uses fibers with a different numerical aperture for light collection. This local optimization improves measurement accuracy while managing complexity through functional specialization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If a detachable laparoscopic tube design is used, then modularity and replacement efficiency are improved, but connection reliability is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovemodularityVSAvoidconnection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Alignment features such as keys and keyways are pre-configured in the detachable connection interface between the probe unit and laparoscopic tube. These preliminary alignment structures ensure that when the components are connected, the optical fibers automatically align correctly, maintaining connection reliability while preserving modularity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Facilitates cost savings, ecological benefits, and improved measurement accuracy by allowing reusable probe units and disposable tubes, with enhanced optical coupling and calibration efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

The optical fibers have different numerical apertures to increase the repeatability of coupling the optical fibers so that repeatable optical transfer efficiency is provided

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical fiber transmission: Optical Fibre

Implementation Method 2

the laparoscopic tube includes an optical coupler for coupling the optical fibers of the probe unit and the laparoscopic tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical coupling: Optical Fibre

Implementation Method 3

Light absorption differs significantly for oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobins at certain wavelengths of light. Tissue oximeters can measure oxygen levels in human tissue by exploiting these light-absorption differences

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS20250255475A1Laparoscopic Oximetry Probe with Reusable Handheld Unit and Replaceable Laparoscopic Tube

Publication Date: 2025.08.14 VIOPTIX INC

AI summary

A laparoscopic medical device includes an oximeter sensor at its tip, which allows making oxygen saturation measurements laparoscopically. The laparoscopic medical device includes a probe unit and a laparoscopic tube that detachably connects with the probe unit so that the laparoscopic tube can be replaced for different patient surgeries and the probe unit can be reused for the different surgeries. The probe unit includes a number of transmitting optical fibers and the detachable laparoscopic tube includes a number of receiving optical fibers where tips of the transmitting and receiving optical fibers connect end to end. Cores of the transmitting optical fibers have smaller numerical apertures than cores of the receiving optical fibers to facilitate a high percentage of light transmission from the transmitting optical fibers to the receiving optical fibers even when the cores of the transmitting and receiving optical fibers are misaligned at their connecting ends.