Push Button Rongeur Separation Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Rongeur designs for surgical procedures are complex and require skilled technicians and extended time for cleaning and sterilization due to their intricate disassembly and reassembly needs, despite efforts to simplify access to long parts for cleaning and sterilization.
Innovation Solution
A Rongeur with a push button actuator that allows the separation of its long parts to an acute angle, facilitating direct access for cleaning and sterilization, featuring a fixed bottom shaft and a movable top shaft with a slideable connection, a drive pin mechanism, and a compression spring to maintain the actuator in a normal position during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the Rongeur is designed with a complex disassembly mechanism to allow separation of long parts, then cleaning and sterilization access is improved, but device complexity and time required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The Rongeur is divided into separable long parts (top shaft and bottom shaft) that can be detached from each other. The top shaft can be separated from the bottom shaft by actuating the release mechanism, allowing each segment to be individually cleaned and sterilized without requiring complete disassembly of all components.
Solution Approach 2:
The top shaft is extracted from the assembled Rongeur structure by releasing it from the bottom shaft. This extraction allows the top shaft to be removed and accessed separately for cleaning purposes, taking out the difficult-to-reach portion from the constrained assembled state.
2Productivity
If the Rongeur allows separation of long parts for cleaning, then sterilization efficiency is improved, but the number of parts and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument is segmented into two main separable parts (top shaft and bottom shaft) rather than requiring multiple small components. This limited segmentation achieves the sterilization efficiency goal while minimizing the increase in part count and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The Rongeur incorporates a self-contained release mechanism integrated into the handle assembly that allows the user to separate the long parts without requiring external tools or assistance. The spring-loaded release button and corresponding cam mechanism enable easy separation and reassembly by the user themselves.
3Reliability
If the Rongeur requires skilled technicians for disassembly and reassembly, then proper cleaning is ensured, but time consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The release mechanism is designed to be operated by the user themselves without requiring skilled technicians. The spring-loaded button and cam mechanism provide intuitive, tool-free separation and reassembly that can be performed by any user, eliminating the need for specialized technical knowledge while maintaining reliable cleaning quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex technical expertise is extracted from the process and replaced with a simple mechanical release mechanism. The separation action is taken out from being a technician-performed task to a user-performed action through the intuitive button- cam mechanism design.
4Strength
If the top shaft remains attached at an obtuse angle to the body, then structural integrity is maintained, but cleaning access to long parts is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The top shaft and bottom shaft are designed as separable segments rather than a fixed rigid structure. This segmentation allows the top shaft to be detached completely from the bottom shaft, providing full cleaning access to all surfaces while maintaining structural integrity when assembled through the cam-and-slot engagement mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between top shaft and bottom shaft transitions from a static fixed angle to a dynamic separable connection. The cam mechanism allows the top shaft to be released and moved to various positions for cleaning, then re-engaged to restore the functional alignment, providing dynamic adaptability for both operation and maintenance.
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 design simplifies the structure of the Rongeur, reducing the number of parts and enabling efficient cleaning and sterilization by allowing direct access to all surfaces, thereby reducing the time and skill required for these processes while maintaining the instrument's functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a compression spring which maintains the push button actuator in a normal position while the Rongeur is in use
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a Rongeur for surgical use. The disclosed Rongeur has a push button actuator which, upon activation, allows the long parts of the Rongeur to be easily separated for thorough cleaning and sterilization for reuse.