Quick-Connect Mounting With Interlocking Teeth for Medical Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical instruments often require quick and stable mounting and dismounting in tight, narrow environments like operating rooms and cardiac catheterization labs, with larger instruments needing carts for support and quick relocation, but existing solutions are cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A quick connect mechanism featuring a post body and cup with angled teeth that mate to restrict rotation, allowing easy mounting and dismounting of medical instruments without tools, providing stability and controlled torque through a torque controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a quick connect mechanism is implemented for mounting medical instruments, then the mounting and dismounting speed is improved, but the stability and rotation control may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism is segmented into two separate components: a post body that remains fixed and a cup that attaches to the instrument. This segmentation allows the instrument to be quickly attached or detached by simply connecting or disconnecting the cup from the post, dramatically reducing mounting and dismounting time while maintaining stability through the interlocking tooth design
Solution Approach 2:
The post teeth and cup teeth are designed with asymmetric angled lateral edges that mate together in a specific orientation. This asymmetric design provides inherent rotation control - the angled teeth engage in one direction but resist engagement or rotation in the opposite direction, ensuring the instrument maintains a stable, controlled orientation once mounted without requiring additional locking mechanisms
2Stability of the object's composition
If a quick connect mechanism with angled teeth is used, then rotation control is improved, but the complexity of the connection structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The post teeth and cup teeth feature asymmetric angled lateral edges that provide inherent rotation control. The angles are designed so that the teeth engage smoothly in the intended direction while resisting rotation in other directions, achieving rotation control through simple geometric design rather than complex mechanical locks or actuators
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism merges multiple functions into a single integrated structure: the post body and cup together provide both quick connection capability and rotation control through their interlocking angled teeth. This merging eliminates the need for separate rotation control mechanisms, keeping the overall structure simple despite the sophisticated tooth geometry
Data Source
AI summary
A quick connect mechanism for a medical instrument is provided. The quick connect mechanism includes a post and a mating cup that allows for quick mounting, controlled use, and easy dismounting of medical instruments. A set of post teeth are disposed circumferentially around a body proximate a base of the post and are configured to mate and interlock with a set of cup teeth disposed proximate the cup. The post teeth and cup teeth interlock to restrict rotation of the cup relative to the post and stabilize the medical instrument.