Motion Feedthrough for Robotic Surgery Drape
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Solution Overview
Problem
The connection of mechanical drive through a surgical drape in robotic surgery presents challenges in maintaining a sterile barrier, as it is difficult to transfer drive without compromising the integrity of the drape.
Innovation Solution
A motion feedthrough system comprising a drive transfer element with a first and second portion, allowing for the transfer of drive between a robot arm and a surgical instrument while maintaining a hermetic sterile barrier, using sliding elements, capture members, and a hub to facilitate easy attachment and detachment without compromising the drape's integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical drive is connected through the surgical drape, then drive transfer between robot arm and instrument is enabled, but the integrity and sterility of the drape is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The motion feedthrough is divided into separate components: a stationary seal portion integrated with the drape and a movable drive transfer element that passes through the seal. This segmentation allows the seal to remain stationary and maintain sterility while the drive element moves independently to transfer mechanical motion.
Solution Approach 2:
A seal element acts as an intermediary between the sterile and non-sterile fields. The seal element creates a hermetic barrier that the drive transfer element passes through, allowing mechanical drive to be transferred while the seal maintains the sterile boundary. The seal element mediates between the conflicting requirements of drive transfer and sterility maintenance.
2Productivity
If instruments are made detachable for easy exchange, then instrument replacement speed is improved, but the complexity of the connection interface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive transfer element is pre-configured with engagement features that align with corresponding features on the instrument. The interface is designed so that alignment and engagement occur automatically when the instrument is inserted, eliminating the need for complex manual alignment procedures and reducing interface complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive transfer element is extracted as a separate, reusable component that remains attached to the robot arm while instruments are detached and reattached. This extraction allows the complex drive transfer mechanism to be maintained once, while multiple instruments can be quickly exchanged by connecting to the same drive interface.
3Reliability
If the motion feedthrough maintains a hermetic barrier, then sterility is preserved, but the ease of drive transfer is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The seal element is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to maintain a hermetic seal while accommodating the movement of the drive transfer element. The seal can deform elastically or slide along the drive element to maintain contact and seal integrity during motion, enabling both sterility preservation and ease of drive transfer.
Data Source
AI summary
A motion feedthrough for a surgical drape, the motion feedthrough comprising a drive transfer element comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being releasably engageable with a portion of a robot arm and the second portion being releasably engageable with a portion of an instrument, the drive transfer element being movable relative to a bulk portion of the drape so as to transfer drive between the robot arm and the instrument.