Replaceable Surgical Scissor Blades With Snap-Fit Axle Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-wear components in robotic surgical end effectors, such as surgical scissors blades, degrade over time, limiting their useful life and necessitating disposal, which is environmentally adverse and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A replaceable blade assembly for end effectors, designed with snap-fit mounting onto an axle, allowing easy installation and removal for sterile replacement, extending the tool's life and reducing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If blades are made replaceable with snap-fit mounting, then ease of replacement is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade assembly is divided into separate replaceable blades and a blade holder, allowing individual blade replacement without replacing the entire end effector. The snap-fit mounting further segments the assembly into modular components that can be quickly detached and reattached.
Solution Approach 2:
The snap-fit mounting provides a dynamic, reversible connection between blades and blade holder, enabling rapid replacement during or between procedures. This dynamic coupling mechanism allows for easy installation and removal without permanent attachment.
2Reliability
If blades are replaced frequently for sterility, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sterile blades can be pre-packaged and prepared before the surgical procedure. The snap-fit mounting system allows these pre-prepared blades to be quickly swapped during the procedure, minimizing interruption time while ensuring sterility is maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The simplified snap-fit mounting mechanism enables rapid blade replacement by eliminating complex fastening steps. The design allows the blade to be quickly snapped into place without requiring tools or intricate alignment, reducing the time penalty for frequent replacements.
3Ease of manufacture
If blades are discarded after use, then ease of manufacture is improved, but loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding entire end effectors with worn blades, only the individual blades are replaced while the blade holder and other components are recovered and reused. This selective replacement reduces waste significantly while maintaining the same ease of manufacture for the disposable blade components.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the blade assembly into replaceable blades and a reusable holder, the design enables selective disposal of only the high-wear blade components while recovering and reusing the durable holder and mechanism components, thereby reducing overall material waste.
Data Source
AI summary
A replaceable blade assembly for an end effector of a surgical tool includes a first blade having an inner side and an outer side, the first blade having an open-ended slot that opens in the proximal direction, the open-ended slot of the first blade having an axle opening and an axle slot. The replaceable blade assembly also includes a second blade having an inner side and an outer side, the second blade having an open-ended slot that opens in the proximal direction, the open-ended slot of the second blade having an axle opening and an axle slot. Further, the replaceable blade assembly includes a retainer arranged through the axle openings of the open-ended slots for coupling the first blade and the second blade together, with the inner sides of the first and second blades facing each other, while permitting relative rotation between the first and second blade.