Rectilinear Medical Instrument for Tissue Gripping and Visibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Medical instruments with rectilinear tool elements lack the improved visibility and gripping capabilities provided by curved tools, making it difficult to effectively grip and prepare tissue and vessels.
Innovation Solution
A medical instrument design featuring rectilinear tool elements with movable first and second tool elements that have transverse or perpendicular widths, local minima, and gripping elements facing away from the tool elements, allowing for improved gripping and visibility, even without curvature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If rectilinear tool elements are used, then the structure is simpler and manufacturing is easier, but visibility and gripping capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tool element is segmented into multiple functional regions: a gripping element with gripping face for securing tissue, a body portion with defined width, and a tip portion. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall structural simplicity and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a transverse width dimension to the rectilinear tool element, creating a plate-like structure with defined width extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. This dimensional addition provides improved visibility and tissue engagement capability while maintaining the straightforward rectilinear configuration for ease of manufacture.
2Ease of operation
If curved tool elements are used, then visibility and gripping capability are improved, but the structure becomes more complex and manufacturing is more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of curving the entire tool element, the patent segments the functionality by adding a gripping element with gripping face at a specific location. This localized feature provides enhanced gripping capability without requiring the entire structure to be curved, thereby maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a transverse width dimension to create a plate-like tool element body, which improves visibility and tissue engagement without introducing curvature. This dimensional approach achieves the operational benefits of curved tools while maintaining the manufacturing simplicity of rectilinear structures.
3Ease of operation
If the width of tool elements is increased, then visibility and tissue preparation capability are improved, but the instrument becomes bulkier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by defining a specific width for the tool element body portion that is sufficient for visibility and tissue preparation, while allowing other regions (such as the gripping element and tip) to have different dimensional characteristics. This localized width optimization provides improved visibility without unnecessarily increasing the overall instrument volume.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical instrument with a distal and a proximal end. A first tool element and a second tool element are arranged or formed on the distal end so as to be movable relative to one another. The tool elements define a tool element direction of extent from proximal to distal. The first tool element defines a first tool element face and the second tool element defines a second tool element face. The first tool element face and the second tool element face face toward one another. The tool elements define in the region of their tool element faces a width. The widths extend in a direction transverse to the tool element direction of extent and transverse to a surface normal of the first tool element face and/or the second tool element face.