Surgical Microscope Balance Arm Manual Brake Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical microscope systems face challenges in continuing surgery reliably when the image of the operating site is no longer displayed normally, due to malfunctions or power failures, especially in systems without robust backup observation methods and attitude maintenance mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A surgical microscope device with a balance arm support unit and an auxiliary observation device that can be attached, along with a manually operated manual brake mechanism on rotation axis units to maintain the support unit's attitude, allowing direct observation and continued surgery even without a displayed image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a balance arm support unit is used to enable weightless operation of the microscope unit, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of maintaining support unit attitude during auxiliary device attachment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The manual brake mechanism is prepared in advance on the rotation axis units of the balance arm support unit. When the auxiliary observation device is attached, the surgeon can immediately activate the brake mechanism to maintain the support unit's attitude, preventing the reliability issue before it occurs during the surgical procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake mechanism acts as a preparatory safety measure that cushions against the potential loss of attitude maintenance when the auxiliary device is attached to the balance arm, ensuring that the weightless operation benefit is not compromised by attitude instability.
2Reliability
If an auxiliary observation device is attached to enable direct observation, then the reliability of continuing surgery is improved, but the balance of the support unit is lost causing attitude change
Solution Approach 1:
The brake mechanism counteracts the destabilizing effect of attaching the auxiliary observation device to the balance arm. By applying braking force to the rotation axis units, it compensates for the added weight and maintains the support unit's attitude, allowing the auxiliary device to be attached without compromising balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake mechanism is activated in advance or simultaneously with the attachment of the auxiliary observation device to prevent attitude change before it occurs, ensuring that the reliability improvement from having an auxiliary observation method does not come at the cost of balance loss.
3Productivity
If the picture display is used for surgery observation, then the productivity is improved, but the reliability of continuing surgery deteriorates when display fails
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary observation device serves as an intermediary observation method when the primary picture display system fails. It provides a backup pathway for the surgeon to observe the operating site, ensuring that productivity is not completely halted by display failures while maintaining surgical capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary observation device and brake mechanism provide a preparatory safety net that cushions against the risk of surgery interruption due to picture display failures, allowing the surgeon to switch to direct observation through the auxiliary device when the display system fails.
Data Source
AI summary
By using a surgical microscope device, it becomes possible to continue surgery more reliably, even in the case in which the picture of the operating site is no longer displayed normally. Provided is a surgical microscope device including: a microscope unit (110) that images an observation target, and outputs a picture signal; a support unit (120) that supports the microscope unit, and is configured as a balance arm; and an auxiliary observation device (30) that is attachable to the microscope unit or the support unit. A manually operated manual brake mechanism (40) is provided with respect to at least one of a plurality of rotation axis units constituting the support unit.