Retractable Surgical Knife Self-Locking Blade Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scalpels with stationary blades pose a hazard in surgical environments, leading to injuries and potential transmission of infectious agents like HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, as they require handling in an exposed state, increasing the risk of accidental cuts and infections.
Innovation Solution
A retractable surgical knife design featuring a sheath member, a retractable member, a biasing member, and a latch mechanism that allows the blade to be moved between an exposed and guarded position, providing safety by shielding the blade when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the blade is kept in an exposed position for easy access and operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety and reliability deteriorate due to increased risk of accidental puncture and injury
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is designed to be dynamically movable between an exposed position (for operation) and a retracted position (for safety). The retractable member allows the blade to transition between these states, making the system adaptive to different operational requirements while maintaining safety when the blade is not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member applies a preliminary restraining force to keep the blade in a retracted position, preventing accidental exposure and injury. The blade is deliberately held in a safe state until intentionally exposed by the user through actuation of the release mechanism.
2Reliability
If a retractable blade mechanism is implemented to improve safety, then the reliability and safety are improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components like latch members and biasing members
Solution Approach 1:
The latch member is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the position of the retractable member, without requiring additional control mechanisms. The biasing member automatically returns the blade to the retracted position when the release button is actuated, reducing the need for complex control systems and simplifying the overall device architecture.
3Reliability
If the blade is retracted into the sheath for protection, then the safety is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to additional steps required to expose the blade
Solution Approach 1:
The release button is pre-positioned and easily accessible on the handle, allowing the user to quickly actuate the blade exposure without searching for controls or performing complex sequences. The mechanical linkage is designed so that a simple push of the button immediately triggers blade exposure, minimizing the steps required.
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 retractable design significantly reduces the risk of injuries and infections by ensuring the blade is protected during handling and storage, potentially preventing up to 65% of scalpel-related injuries.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member disposed in the interior space of the support member
Implementation Method 2
a self-locking mechanism configured to translate an axial movement of the retractable member when the retractable member is moving from the exposed position to the guarded position to rotation, thereby preventing the retractable member from moving forward relative to the sheath member
Data Source
AI summary
A self-locking retractable surgical knife including a sheath member having front and rear ends, and a retractable member including a support member and a blade supported by the support member. The support member has a front end, a rear end and an elongated interior space. The retractable member is partially disposed in the sheath member and telescopically received in the sheath member for movement between a guarded position wherein the blade is guarded in the sheath member, and an exposed position wherein the blade extends out of the sheath member. The self-locking retractable further includes a biasing member disposed in the interior space of the support member and a latch member disposed in the interior space of the support member.