Malleable Sealant Spray Tip Assembly for Confined Surgical Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems struggle to deliver tissue sealants and hemostats effectively into small, confined spaces during minimally invasive surgery, particularly in areas like the thoracic cavity, due to the difficulty in fitting conventional spray tips and maintaining effective spray quality.
Innovation Solution
A malleable spray tip assembly with a flexible shaft and malleable wire conduit allows the spray tip to be angulated and positioned within narrower body cavities, enabling effective application of tissue sealants and hemostats by spacing the spray tip away from the lung surface while maintaining good spray quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid components are used in the applicator, then structural stability is improved, but flexibility and adaptability to contoured surfaces deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The applicator is divided into rigid components (handle, mixing assembly) and flexible components (tubing, malleable section) that can independently deform. This segmentation allows the rigid parts to maintain structural integrity while the flexible parts adapt to contoured surfaces and accommodate movement without compromising overall stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The applicator incorporates malleable sections with varying degrees of flexibility that can dynamically adjust their shape in response to external forces and surface contours. The flexible tubing and malleable section allow the applicator to transition from a rigid state during handling to a conforming state during application, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If flexible tubing is used to connect components, then adaptability to movement and contoured surfaces is improved, but risk of disconnection and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The applicator features pre-configured quick-connect mechanisms and retention features that are built into the flexible tubing connections. These preliminary design elements ensure that connections remain secure during movement and flexing, preventing disconnection while maintaining the adaptability benefits of flexible tubing.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible tubing is designed with specific wall thicknesses and material properties that provide both flexibility for movement adaptation and sufficient structural integrity to maintain reliable connections. The tubing acts as a flexible shell that can bend and conform while maintaining its connection sealing and structural stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sealant components are mixed, then functionality and versatility are improved, but risk of premature curing and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing assembly combines multiple dispensing channels and mixing chambers into a single integrated component that mixes sealant components as they flow through the assembly. This merging of functions allows multiple sealant types to be mixed and dispensed through one applicator without requiring separate complex mixing mechanisms for each sealant type, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing assembly acts as an intermediary between the sealant cartridges and the application tip, providing a controlled environment for mixing multiple sealant components. This intermediary structure ensures proper mixing ratios and prevents premature curing by controlling the mixing process and timing, while maintaining the ability to handle different sealant types.
4Manufacturing precision
If the applicator is designed for precision application, then application quality is improved, but ease of cleaning and maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The applicator design separates the precision application components (mixing assembly, application tip) from the main body as removable, interchangeable parts. This extraction allows the precision components to be easily removed for cleaning or replacement without disassembling the entire applicator, maintaining application precision while significantly improving ease of cleaning and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The applicator is designed with disposable or easily replaceable precision components that can be discarded after use or cleaning cycles and replaced with fresh components. This approach maintains high application precision by ensuring components are always in optimal condition while simplifying maintenance through straightforward replacement rather than complex cleaning procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A mixing and spraying assembly for a tissue sealant includes a mixing assembly, a spray tip assembly, and a malleable section having a proximal end connected with the mixing assembly and a distal end connected with the spray tip assembly for enabling the spray tip assembly to be angulated relative to the mixing assembly. The malleable section includes a flexible shaft having a length, a malleable wire conduit that extends along the length of the flexible shaft, and a malleable wire disposed in the malleable wire conduit. The malleable wire is longer than the flexible shaft and has a proximal end that is connected to the mixing assembly and a distal end that is connected to the spray tip assembly. First and second fluids are mixed within the mixing assembly to form a tissue sealant that is delivered through the malleable section for being expressed from the spray tip assembly.