Rotatable Bracket for Medical Instrument Case Corrosion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Autoclaving of perforated medical instrument cases leads to water collection on instrument tips, causing corrosion due to prolonged exposure to water, especially in custom-shaped socket-like configurations.

Innovation Solution

A medical instrument case with a rotatable bracket system that adjusts the orientation of instruments within the case, pointing tips downward during autoclaving to minimize water collection and upward for easy access and selection post-autoclaving.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the medical instrument case is perforated to allow steam penetration for sterilization, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but water collects on instrument tips causing corrosion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterilization effectivenessVSAvoidwater collection and corrosion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket is designed to rotate dynamically between two positions: during autoclaving, it orientes instrument tips downward to prevent water collection, and during instrument selection, it rotates to present instruments upward for easy access. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the instrument orientation to different operational phases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-orienting instrument tips downward before autoclaving begins, preventing water collection in advance. The bracket is positioned in advance to ensure instruments are in the correct orientation to minimize water retention during the sterilization process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If instruments are held with tips upward for easy selection, then instrument accessibility is improved, but water collects in socket-like configurations causing corrosion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstrument accessibilityVSAvoidwater retention in sockets

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable bracket enables dynamic repositioning of instruments. During autoclaving, instruments are held tip-down to prevent water collection. When the case is opened for instrument selection, the bracket rotates to present instruments tip-upward for easy grasping and removal, thus resolving the contradiction between accessibility and water retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system inverts the conventional instrument holding orientation. Instead of always holding instruments tip-upward for accessibility, the bracket inverts the orientation to tip-downward during autoclaving to prevent water collection, then inverts back to tip-upward for instrument selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Device complexity

If instruments are held stationary in fixed positions, then structural simplicity is maintained, but water collection cannot be minimized during autoclaving

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebracket structureVSAvoidwater collection on tips

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket incorporates rotational capability with minimal additional complexity. It pivots on a hinge or rotation mechanism that allows transition between tip-down and tip-up orientations. This dynamic feature adds only modest complexity while effectively preventing water collection during autoclving.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8104614B2Autoclavable medical instrument case for reduced instrument corrosion

Publication Date: 2012.01.31 S S WHITE TECH

AI summary

A case for storing medical instruments contains a rotating bracket for holding the instruments. The bracket is connected to the tray and hinged lid of the case via a movable frame, and the bracket movement is controlled by opening and closing of the lid. When the lid is closed, the bracket points the tips of the instruments downward to minimize water collection; and when the lid is opened, the instrument holding bracket rotates so that the instruments it holds are moved to a vertical position, facilitating instrument selection.