Motor-Driven Disposable Loading Unit for Surgical Staplers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical stapling apparatuses require manual ratcheting to fire staples and cut tissue, which can be cumbersome and inefficient, especially when using disposable loading units (DLUs) that are not motor-driven.
Innovation Solution
A disposable loading unit with a self-contained motor and battery that drives an axial drive assembly to automatically fire staples and cut tissue, eliminating the need for manual ratcheting and providing a fresh knife blade for each firing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual ratcheting is used to fire staples and cut tissue, then the device structure remains simple, but operator fatigue increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual ratcheting mechanical system with an electric motor system. The motor is coupled to a drive shaft that directly drives the axial drive assembly, eliminating the need for manual ratcheting operations. This substitution of mechanical actuation with electric motor actuation resolves the contradiction by improving productivity while accepting increased device complexity through the addition of motor components.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor-driven system provides self-service operation where the motor automatically advances the axial drive assembly through the carrier and fires staples without requiring manual intervention for each advancement. The system serves itself by using the motor's continuous rotation to automatically cycle through the stapling and cutting operations, improving efficiency and reducing operator fatigue.
2Ease of operation
If disposable loading units are made motor-driven, then automation and ease of operation improve, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the surgical instrument into modular components: a reusable handle housing containing the motor and control electronics, and a disposable loading unit containing the staple cartridge, knife assembly, and axial drive assembly. This segmentation allows the complex motor-driven features to be contained in the reusable portion while keeping the disposable portion relatively simple, thus improving ease of operation without excessively complicating the disposable loading unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the motor, drive mechanism, staple firing system, and knife actuation system into a single integrated motor-driven disposable loading unit. This consolidation of functions into one unified system improves ease of operation by providing automated coordinated action of all components, while the modular design allows the entire assembly to be manufactured and disposed of as a single unit.
3Reliability
If a fresh knife blade is provided for each firing, then cutting reliability improves, but loss of substance and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable loading unit that includes a fresh knife blade for each use. The entire loading unit with the knife assembly is designed to be discarded after a single firing, ensuring that every procedure uses a sharp, unused blade. This approach prioritizes cutting reliability by eliminating blade wear and degradation issues, while accepting the cost and waste of disposable single-use components.
Solution Approach 2:
The knife blade is pre-installed and pre-positioned in the loading unit before use, ready for immediate action. The blade is manufactured and prepared in advance, sterilized, and integrated into the disposable loading unit, so that when the unit is activated, the fresh blade is already in position to perform the cutting function without requiring any preparation or replacement during the procedure.
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 motor-driven disposable loading unit simplifies the stapling and cutting process, reducing operator fatigue and ensuring a sharp cutting edge with each use, while allowing for automatic retraction of the drive assembly in case of resistance.
Implementation Method 1
A battery may be supported within the carrier and be coupled to the motor for supplying power thereto
Data Source
AI summary
A detachable motor-powered surgical instrument. The instrument may include a housing that includes at least one engagement member for removably attaching the housing to an actuator arrangement. A motor is supported within the housing for supplying actuation motions to various portions of a surgical end effector coupled to the housing. The housing may include a contact arrangement that is configured to permit power to be supplied to the motor only when the housing is operably attached to the actuator arrangement.