Lithotripsy Handpiece Vibration Damping for Sonotrode Alignment

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lithotripsy devices experience vibrations and misalignment issues due to combined percussion and vibration excitation, leading to difficulty in precise stone fragmentation and user discomfort, with existing vibration decoupling solutions increasing device weight and size.

Innovation Solution

A holding device with a vibration damping system using a mass and spring elements integrated within the housing to decouple vibrations, allowing independent operation of percussion and vibration excitation, reducing unwanted vibrations and improving handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If vibration decoupling is implemented using a vibrating mounting in a second surrounding housing, then vibrations are reduced, but the device diameter and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovevibrationsVSAvoiddevice weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration damping device is nested within the existing housing structure. The mass is positioned inside the housing and surrounded by spring elements that connect to the housing's inner surface, utilizing the available internal space without requiring an additional outer housing or increasing the device's external dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Spring elements serve as intermediary components between the mass and the housing. These springs provide elastic coupling that absorbs and dampens vibrations generated by the projectile acceleration, preventing direct transmission of vibrational energy to the housing while maintaining a compact structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If vibration decoupling is implemented using a vibrating mounting in a second surrounding housing, then vibrations are reduced, but the device diameter increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovevibrationsVSAvoiddevice diameter

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration damping device is nested within the existing housing structure. The mass is positioned inside the housing and surrounded by spring elements that connect to the housing's inner surface, utilizing the available internal space without requiring an additional outer housing or increasing the device's external dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If the projectile accelerates distally, then stone fragmentation is achieved, but the housing retracts and the sonotrode tip misaligns from the body stone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestone fragmentationVSAvoidsonotrode alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A mass is introduced as a counterbalancing element that opposes the reactive forces generated during projectile acceleration. This mass, when coupled with spring elements, creates a vibration damping system that counteracts the housing's retracting motion, thereby maintaining the sonotrode tip's alignment with the body stone during the fragmentation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

Spring elements serve as intermediary components between the mass and the housing. These springs provide elastic coupling that absorbs and dampens vibrations generated by the projectile acceleration, preventing direct transmission of vibrational energy to the housing while maintaining a compact structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If combined percussion and vibration excitation are used, then stone fragmentation performance is improved, but unwanted vibrations increase and alignment precision decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestone fragmentation performanceVSAvoidunwanted vibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A mass is introduced as a counterbalancing element that opposes the reactive forces generated during projectile acceleration. This mass, when coupled with spring elements, creates a vibration damping system that counteracts the housing's retracting motion, thereby maintaining the sonotrode tip's alignment with the body stone during the fragmentation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The vibration damping device converts the harmful vibrations generated by combined percussion and vibration excitation into beneficial effects. By allowing controlled movement of the mass within the housing, the system absorbs excess vibrational energy that would otherwise cause misalignment and user discomfort, while still permitting the necessary vibrations for effective stone fragmentation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 vibration damping device stabilizes the handpiece, enhances precision, and reduces user discomfort by minimizing vibrations, while maintaining effective stone fragmentation without increasing the device's size or weight.

Implementation Method 1

at least two spring elements, each with two ends, wherein the at least two spring elements each contact the mass with one end and at least one spring element contactes an inner surface of the housing with its second end

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

vibration damping device are arranged in the housing, wherein the vibration damping device has at least one mass and at least two spring elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 3

In ballistic and/or pneumatic lithotripsy devices, the projectile is accelerated within an acceleration tube by the supply of compressed air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Electromagnet

Implementation Method 4

In pneumatic lithotripters, the projectile is accelerated within an acceleration tube by the supply of compressed air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPneumatic pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 5

the projectile's kinetic energy is transferred via an elastic impact to the proximal end of the sonotrode and then to its distal end to fragment a body stone

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact force: Impact Force

Implementation Method 6

the projectile is accelerated within an acceleration tube by the supply of compressed air, and the projectile's kinetic energy is transferred via an elastic impact

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectKinetic energy:

Implementation Method 7

a vibration excitation device as an assembly for vibration excitation of the sonotrode

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasonic vibration: Ultrasonic Vibration

Implementation Method 8

In addition to constant ultrasound energy, intermittent ballistic shock wave energy is often supplied

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasonic energy: Ultrasound

Data Source

PatentEP4385429B1Holding device for a lithotripsy device for disintegrating body stones and lithotripsy device

Publication Date: 2025.11.26 KARL STORZ SE & CO KG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a holding device for a lithotripsy device for fragmenting body stones, wherein the holding device has a housing for receiving assemblies and/or components, and a sonotrode can be connected to the distal end of the housing, wherein an acceleration tube with a longitudinal central axis, a cavity and a movable projectile within the cavity for impact excitation of the sonotrode, a proximal-side stop element at the proximal end and a distal-side stop element at the distal end of the acceleration tube are arranged in the housing, and a force generation device for generating a force for moving the projectile forward and/or backward can be assigned to the holding device, and a vibration excitation device for vibration excitation of the sonotrode and a vibration damping device are arranged in the housing.wherein the vibration damping device comprises at least one mass and at least two spring elements, each with two ends, wherein one end of each of the at least two spring elements contacts the mass and at least one spring element contacts an inner surface of the housing with its other end. The invention further relates to a lithotripsy device.