Self-Aligning Drive Coupler With Lobed Hub Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical devices face challenges in proper alignment and engagement of drive hubs and couplers, leading to misalignment issues during assembly, which can hinder the rotational engagement and result in incomplete assembly and potential contamination from tissue remnants.
Innovation Solution
A self-aligning drive coupler system with a lobe design that extends radially from the central axis, allowing for axial rotation to align with a mating mechanism on the drive hub, ensuring secure coupling without manual intervention, even in cases of up to 90 degrees misalignment, and utilizing materials like stainless steel or polymers for durability and ease of cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment is required to engage the drive hub with the drive coupler, then assembly precision can be achieved, but assembly complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drive coupler is designed with a self-aligning mechanism where the lobe automatically orients itself to engage with the mating mechanism on the drive hub during axial insertion. The system performs its own alignment function without requiring external manual intervention, thereby achieving precise engagement while simplifying the assembly process
Solution Approach 2:
The lobe is configured with specific geometric features including a leading edge, trailing edge, and pitch angle that enable dynamic self-alignment during the assembly process. As the drive hub is inserted axially, the lobe rotates or orients itself dynamically to achieve proper engagement alignment with the mating mechanism
2Productivity
If the drive hub and drive coupler are inserted without self-alignment, then assembly time is reduced, but misalignment occurs leading to incomplete assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The self-aligning lobe mechanism enables the system to automatically correct any initial misalignment during insertion, ensuring reliable engagement without requiring precise pre-alignment or manual intervention, thus maintaining both high assembly speed and high reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The lobe features an asymmetric cross-sectional shape with different leading and trailing edges, creating a geometric constraint that guides the relative rotation and alignment between the drive hub and drive coupler during assembly, ensuring proper engagement regardless of initial orientation
3Manufacturing precision
If the lobe has a complex geometric shape for self-alignment, then alignment accuracy improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lobe employs dynamic geometric features such as pitched surfaces and asymmetric edges that achieve complex alignment functionality through relatively simple manufacturing processes. The pitch angle and edge configurations can be produced using standard machining or molding techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The self-aligning capability is achieved by optimizing specific geometric parameters of the lobe including the pitch angle, leading edge angle, trailing edge angle, and radial extension distance. These parameter optimizations enable effective self-alignment while maintaining manufacturability through conventional processes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Systems and methods herein are associated with a handpiece, a drive hub, a drive coupler, and an instrument comprising an elongate shaft and resection member telescoped within the elongate shaft, the resection member coupled to the drive hub. The drive hub comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior surface defines a cross- sectional shape, and the drive hub is coupled to a drive shaft of a motor of the handpiece. The drive coupler comprises a first lobe extending radially from a central axis of the drive coupler, the drive coupler is telescoped at least partially within the drive hub such that the first lobe that engages with a portion of the cross-sectional shape.