Modular Surgical Instrument End Effector Bayonet Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic surgical instruments face challenges in efficiently and effectively detaching and reattaching modular end effectors, which can become unclean or worn out during procedures, making it difficult to maintain sterility and functionality.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates detachable end effectors with bayonet pins and slots, ratcheting teeth, and threaded couplings, allowing for easy attachment and detachment while maintaining mechanical and acoustic connections, enabling the use of disposable or reusable components to facilitate cleaning and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If modular end effectors are used in endoscopic surgical instruments, then the ability to replace worn or contaminated components is improved, but the complexity of attachment and detachment mechanisms worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument is divided into modular components including a handle assembly, transmission assembly, and detachable end effector. This segmentation allows the end effector to be separated from the main instrument body, enabling replacement of contaminated or worn components while preserving the sterile proximal portions.
Solution Approach 2:
A transmission assembly acts as an intermediary component between the handle assembly and the end effector. This intermediate structure facilitates the detachment and reattachment mechanisms, providing a controlled interface that maintains sterility while enabling component exchange.
2Ease of repair
If detachable end effectors are implemented, then ease of replacement and cleaning is improved, but the risk of contamination during detachment and reattachment worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector is designed with pre-configured attachment and detachment mechanisms that are prepared in advance. The ratcheting teeth and bayonet pins are positioned and structured to enable controlled separation and reconnection, reducing the time and complexity of the exchange process while maintaining sterility.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector is extracted as a separate, disposable component from the reusable instrument body. This extraction allows the distal portion to be discarded after a single use, eliminating the need for complex sterilization processes while maintaining the integrity of the proximal reusable components.
3Reliability
If multiple coupling mechanisms (bayonet pins, ratcheting teeth, threaded couplings) are used, then connection reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple coupling mechanisms (bayonet pins, ratcheting teeth, and threaded couplings) are merged into a single integrated attachment system. This combination provides redundant connection methods that enhance reliability while simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to implementing separate mechanisms for each function.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical instrument may include a reusable body assembly, a reusable transducer and blade assembly, and a disposable end effector. The transducer and blade assembly may be latched into the body assembly. One version may include an electrical connector on the latch member to electrically couple the body assembly to the transducer. The end effector may include an outer sheath portion coupleable to an outer sheath of the body assembly via a bayonet connection and a clamp arm pivotably coupled to the outer sheath portion. In some versions, an inner tubular member of the body assembly may also couple to an inner tube portion via a bayonet connection. The inner tubular member may include a key to align with a slot on the transducer and blade assembly to align the clamp arm with the blade. The end effector may alternatively couple via threading or ratcheting teeth having a slip feature.