Oscillating Gear Mechanism for Sinus Tissue Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for tissue removal in hollow spaces, such as the paranasal sinuses, face challenges in navigating narrow channels without damaging delicate structures and require efficient mechanisms for prolonged operations.
Innovation Solution
An oscillating gear assembly drives a cutting blade within a catheter, powered by an electric motor, featuring a gear system that alternately rotates the blade to facilitate efficient tissue removal, combined with suction for evacuating tissue through a port with stabilizing teeth and an inclined cutting edge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a reciprocating mechanism or motor is used to power the cutting device, then the device can perform tissue removal in hollow spaces, but the device becomes complex and difficult to manipulate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical reciprocating mechanisms with a simpler rotary motor system. The motor drives a cutter that rotates in a single direction, eliminating the need for complex reciprocating linkages while maintaining tissue removal capability. This substitution of mechanical systems reduces device complexity and improves ease of manipulation.
2Productivity
If the cutter is made oscillatory to improve tissue removal efficiency, then productivity increases, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements oscillatory motion through periodic engagement of a cam mechanism with a follower. The cam rotates continuously with the motor, but its eccentric profile creates periodic oscillatory motion in the cutter through the follower. This allows the cutter to oscillate back and forth during rotation, improving tissue removal efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple continuous rotation drive system.
3Ease of operation
If the device is made lighter and more convenient to manipulate, then ease of operation improves, but the cutting power and tissue removal capability may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the device into modular segments: a lightweight handheld handle containing the motor, a flexible shaft transmitting power, and a separable cutter head. This segmentation allows the main body to remain light and easy to manipulate while the motor provides sufficient cutting power through the flexible shaft connection. The modular design enables the operator to hold only the lightweight handle while the motor does the heavy lifting.
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 oscillating cutter enables precise and efficient removal of tissue or polyps in sinuplasty procedures, reducing operator fatigue and minimizing damage to surrounding structures while ensuring effective tissue evacuation.
Implementation Method 1
a motor for powering the gear assembly
Implementation Method 2
The sleeve is connected to a vacuum source
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A cutting operation is performed with an apparatus having an elongated sleeve (24) with a port (30) in its distal section (28). The sleeve (24) is connected to a vacuum source and a rotating shaft (20) is disposed in the lumen (22) of the sleeve. The shaft (20) has a cutting blade (32) at its distal end opposite the port (30). The blade (32) has two cutting edges, a gear assembly (18) operative to alternately rotate the shaft (20) in a first direction and a second direction about the axis of symmetry of the shaft (20), and a motor (14) for powering the gear assembly (18).