Offset Tooth Forceps for Secure Tissue Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical forceps often struggle to grip and manipulate vessels or tissues without causing damage, such as tearing, which can lead to complications like increased blood loss and scarring.
Innovation Solution
The design of the forceps features a gripping assembly with upper and lower jaws that have canted tooth surfaces and sockets, allowing for a secure grip without tearing by distributing compressive stresses and maintaining a gap between the opposing surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an aggressive tooth pattern is used in forceps, then the gripping reliability is improved, but the tissue damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by creating a non-uniform tooth pattern where teeth are offset from the centerline of the jaw. The teeth are positioned at different distances from the centerline, with some teeth closer and some farther away, creating an asymmetric distribution that provides gripping surfaces at multiple depths. This asymmetric configuration allows the forceps to engage tissue securely while maintaining gaps that prevent excessive compression and tissue damage.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a less aggressive tooth pattern is used in forceps, then the tissue damage is reduced, but the gripping reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the gripping surface into multiple discrete teeth rather than using a continuous aggressive ridge. The teeth are separated by gaps and positioned at different locations, creating segmented gripping points. This segmentation allows the force to be distributed across multiple contact points, providing reliable gripping through the combined effect of multiple teeth while preventing any single tooth from causing excessive localized damage.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If electrosurgical signal is applied to coagulate tissue, then the bleeding control is improved, but the risk of electrical short circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by using the asymmetric tooth pattern as a mediator between the electrosurgical signal application and tissue contact. The offset teeth create controlled gaps that act as physical intermediaries, allowing the electrosurgical signal to be applied through the jaw surfaces for coagulation while the tooth configuration prevents direct metal-to-metal contact that would cause short circuits. The teeth serve as an intermediate structure that enables both coagulation and electrical safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A forceps including a gripping assembly. The gripping assembly includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw. The upper jaw includes a proximal end and a distal end. The upper jaw includes an upper tooth having an upper proximally facing canted tooth surface and an upper distally facing canted tooth surface. The lower jaw includes a proximal end and a distal end. The lower jaw includes a socket having a lower distally facing canted socket surface and a lower proximally facing socket surface. The upper jaw, the lower jaw, or both are moveable so that the gripping assembly moves between an open position and a gripping position, in the gripping position, a gap is defined between the upper distally facing canted tooth surface and the lower proximally facing socket surface.