Modular Surgical Instrument Coupling for Stable Quick Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary cutting tools for surgical procedures have cumbersome and complex assembly connections, making them difficult to use and assemble efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A medical instrument with a shaft and a cutting component that uses a simple, modular connection system, where the shaft is subtractively manufactured and the cutting component is additively manufactured, allowing for easy coupling and decoupling, and featuring a flexible female connection that does not require additional machining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional standardized instrumentation connections are used, then the cutting component can be coupled to the shaft, but the assembly becomes complex and cumbersome requiring multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple conventional components (main housing body, ball bearings, springs, pull buttons) into a single integrated connection structure. The additive manufacturing process enables these elements to be merged into one monolithic piece that maintains all necessary functions while eliminating the complexity of assembling multiple separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection structure is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: providing mechanical coupling, enabling rotational movement, maintaining axial positioning, and allowing for easy release. This multi-functional design replaces the need for separate specialized components for each function.
2Reliability
If conventional standardized instrumentation connections are used, then the cutting component can be coupled to the shaft, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is pre-configured during additive manufacturing with built-in alignment features and engagement geometries. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming alignment and adjustment during assembly, as the components are designed to self-align and engage automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging multiple components into a single additive-manufactured piece, the assembly time is dramatically reduced from assembling multiple separate parts to simply attaching one integrated component to the shaft.
3Device complexity
If a singular cutting component is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate different sizes or cutting edges
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting component is segmented into a modular design where the cutting element can be independently replaced while maintaining the same connection interface. This segmentation allows different cutting components to be attached to the same shaft, providing versatility without complicating the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection interface is designed with universal compatibility, allowing the same shaft to accommodate multiple different cutting components. The standardized interface maintains structural simplicity while enabling interchangeability of cutting elements for different surgical applications.
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate components are used for the cutting component, then different sizes and cutting edges can be accommodated, but the connection requires complex assemblies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the connection structure into a single additive-manufactured component that provides all necessary coupling functions. This eliminates the complex assemblies of multiple separate components while maintaining the ability to accommodate different cutting components through a standardized interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The simplified connection structure maintains universal compatibility with different cutting components while reducing assembly complexity. The single integrated design provides multiple functions (coupling, positioning, rotation allowance) that would otherwise require multiple separate components.
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 instrument provides a stable and convenient connection between the shaft and the cutting component, enhancing the ease of use and efficiency of surgical procedures, while allowing for interchangeable cutting components.
Implementation Method 1
The pair of arms may be elastically deformable such that when the shaft is inserted into the opening of the extension piece and the radial protrusion passes the projections of the pair of arms, the pair of arms are pushed apart from a neutral position
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible modular instrument includes a shaft and an extension piece. The shaft includes an interior segment having a first outer cross-sectional dimension and an end segment extending from the interior segment having a second outer cross-sectional dimension less than the first outer cross-sectional dimension. The interior segment includes a radial protrusion adjacent to the end segment such that the radial protrusion extends further from a central longitudinal axis of the shaft than an outer surface of the interior segment, wherein the first and second outer cross-sectional dimensions are measured orthogonally relative to the central longitudinal axis. The extension piece includes an attachment portion removably engageable with the end segment of the shaft. The attachment portion includes an opening to receive the end segment, the opening being defined in part by a pair of arms, each arm of the pair of arms including a projection into the opening.