Offset Prong Cable Clip for Surgical Workstation Organization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical professionals face challenges in organizing and positioning medical devices such as cameras, position trackers, patient monitors, and laptop computers within a surgical field, as existing solutions fail to efficiently manage cables and accessories, leading to a disorganized and potentially hazardous operating environment.

Innovation Solution

A multi-cable support and organization clip is designed to be attached to a display monitor or its mount, featuring a base member with offset prong portions and an overmolded surface, allowing secure retention and easy identification of video cables, preventing interference and providing a safe storage solution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If multiple medical devices and accessories are positioned close to the patient treatment region, then operational accessibility is improved, but cable organization and safety deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of medical devicesVSAvoidcable disorganization and safety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cable management system is segmented into multiple discrete clip units, each with individual prongs designed to hold specific cables. This segmentation allows cables to be organized in separate, manageable sections rather than a tangled mass, resolving the contradiction by maintaining device accessibility while eliminating cable disorganization hazards

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cable clips act as intermediary elements between the cables and the workstation environment. By introducing these intermediate holding structures, the system mediates the relationship between operational accessibility and cable safety, allowing cables to be securely positioned without interfering with device access or creating safety hazards

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If cable retention structures are added to organize cables, then cable organization improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable disorganizationVSAvoidcable management system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable clips are designed as multi-functional components that serve both cable retention and organizational functions simultaneously. The same structural elements that provide holding capability also create the organizational arrangement, eliminating the need for separate retention and organization systems and thus avoiding increased device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the functions of cable retention, organization, and positioning into a single integrated clip structure. By combining multiple functions into one component rather than using separate devices for each function, the system improves cable organization without proportionally increasing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11536395B2Cable support clip for medical device workstation

Publication Date: 2022.12.27 VERATHON

AI summary

A cable clip for use with a medical instrument system comprises a base member; a first prong projecting from the base member; and a second prong projecting from the base member. The first prong and the second prong project in a spaced, parallel manner relative to each other and the first prong is offset from the second prong in at least two dimensions.