Light Carrier Mounting Frame for Surgical Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments lack the capability to accommodate light carriers effectively, requiring complex and costly modifications during manufacturing, and there is no method to retrofit standard tools for improved illumination during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A releasable light carrier mounting system that securely attaches a fiberoptic light carrier to surgical instruments using a thin, lightweight, adjustable, and nonobtrusive frame with deformable clips, eliminating the need for custom slots or channels and allowing quick adaptation to various instrument configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If integral channels and tabs are formed in surgical instruments to hold light carriers, then light carrier attachment capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and expense increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The light carrier attachment system is divided into separate components: a light carrier with integrated tabs and a corresponding receiver structure in the surgical instrument. This segmentation allows the light carrier to be manufactured independently with attachment features, while the surgical instrument receives these features as simple recesses or channels, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining attachment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate tabs and corresponding receivers as mediator elements between the light carrier and the surgical instrument. These intermediate features facilitate the attachment without requiring complex integral structures in the surgical instrument itself, allowing standard instruments to be modified minimally while maintaining light carrier compatibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If standard surgical instruments are used without custom modifications, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but light carrier mounting capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The light carrier is designed with universal attachment tabs that can be mounted on various standard surgical instruments through simple receivers. This universal design allows the same light carrier to be adapted to multiple instrument types without requiring custom manufacturing of each instrument, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving mounting capability through the universal light carrier design.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment tabs and corresponding receiver features are incorporated into the light carrier during its manufacturing process, before the light carrier is used with the surgical instrument. This preliminary action allows the light carrier to be pre-configured for attachment to standard instruments, eliminating the need for post-manufacturing modifications to the surgical instruments themselves and maintaining their manufacturing simplicity.
3Illumination intensity
If light carriers are attached to surgical instruments, then illumination quality is improved, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light carrier is constructed using thin-walled tubular structures that provide sufficient mechanical strength and optical transmission while minimizing weight. The flexible material allows the carrier to be lightweight yet durable, maintaining illumination quality while reducing the weight penalty of adding the light carrier attachment system to the surgical instrument.
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
Enables improved illumination of surgical sites with reduced light transmission losses, simplifies manufacturing, and allows quick attachment to standard instruments without interfering with their use, saving time and resources.
Implementation Method 1
a fiberoptic light source that delivers light to the light carrier
Data Source
AI summary
A releasable light carrier mounting frame includes an upper portion having a receptacle for receiving a light carrier. One or more clips are attached to the upper portion and engaged with an underlying surgical instrument to secure the light carrier to the surgical instrument.