Roller Actuator Reduces Force in Surgical Stapling Loading Unit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling instruments require significant force to deploy the drive assembly and approximate the staple cartridge and anvil, making them less efficient and more strenuous for clinicians to use.
Innovation Solution
The loading unit incorporates an actuator member with rollers that rotate along the surfaces of the staple cartridge and anvil assembly during longitudinal movement, reducing the forces needed to advance the drive assembly and facilitate movement between open and approximated conditions, thereby enhancing usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a traditional drive assembly is used without rollers, then the structural design is simpler, but the force required to deploy the drive assembly and approximate the staple cartridge and anvil is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the spheroidality principle by incorporating rollers (cylindrical curved surfaces) into the drive assembly. These rollers replace traditional sliding contacts with rolling contacts, reducing friction and the force required to move the drive assembly. The rollers are positioned to engage with the staple cartridge and anvil, enabling smoother approximation movements with reduced clinician effort.
2Ease of operation
If rollers are added to the actuator member, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rollers act as intermediary elements between the actuator member and the staple cartridge/anvil assembly. Instead of direct contact between the actuator and these components, the rollers serve as mediating elements that facilitate movement through rolling contact. This intermediary mechanism reduces direct friction and improves ease of operation while maintaining a manageable device complexity through the use of simple roller components.
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
This design significantly reduces the forces required to operate the surgical stapling instrument, improving performance and usability by allowing easier approximation of the staple cartridge and anvil, and efficient delivery of staples.
Implementation Method 1
The roller is configured to rotate upon longitudinal movement of the drive assembly to facilitate movement of the drive assembly and relative movement of the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A loading unit for use with a surgical instrument includes a body configured for coupling to a surgical instrument and defining a longitudinal axis and having proximal and distal ends, and an end effector coupled to the distal end of the body. The end effector includes a staple cartridge assembly having a staple cartridge and an anvil assembly having an anvil plate. A drive assembly is at least partially disposed within the body. The drive assembly includes an actuator member having a roller engageable with at least one of the staple cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly. The roller is configured to rotate upon longitudinal movement of the drive assembly to facilitate movement of the drive assembly and relative movement of the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly between open and approximated conditions.