Rotatable Collar Mechanism for Hollow Suture Needle Reorientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suturing devices for endoscopic surgical procedures are difficult to disassemble for cleaning or repair and do not allow for the reorientation of suture hooks during a procedure, requiring the use of different hooks for changing orientations.
Innovation Solution
A suture hook system with a handle and rotatable wheels that can securely attach and detach a hollow needle, allowing for easy reorientation and disassembly, featuring a collar mechanism for locking the needle in place and a sagittal planar surface with suture guiding channels for efficient suture advancement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a suture hook is secured to the handle with a transverse set screw, then the hook is firmly attached to the handle, but the device becomes difficult to disassemble for cleaning or repair
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is divided into separate components: a collar that rotates independently, a hub with keyways, and locking tabs. This segmentation allows the needle to be easily attached and detached by rotating the collar, while maintaining firm attachment during use. The modular design enables simple disassembly for cleaning or repair without requiring complex tools or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar is designed to be rotatable, transforming the static attachment mechanism into a dynamic one. The collar can rotate to lock the needle in place during surgery, providing strong attachment, and can also rotate to unlock and remove the needle when disassembly is needed. This dynamic element resolves the contradiction between firm attachment and ease of disassembly.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a transverse set screw is used to secure the suture hook, then the hook is firmly fixed to the handle, but reorientation of the suture hook during surgical procedure is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable collar enables the needle to be dynamically reoriented during surgery. The collar can be rotated to different angular positions, each corresponding to a different orientation of the needle relative to the handle. The locking tabs engage with the keyways at these different positions, providing stable attachment at each orientation. This allows the surgeon to reorient the needle as needed while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism serves multiple functions: it secures the needle firmly to the handle, allows reorientation of the needle to different angles, and enables easy removal of the needle. The same collar and locking tab mechanism accomplishes all these functions, making the system versatile and adaptable to different surgical needs without requiring multiple different attachment methods.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple suture hooks are used to achieve different orientations, then various orientations are possible, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single suture hook can achieve multiple orientations through the rotatable collar mechanism. The collar can be rotated to different angular positions, and the locking tabs engage with corresponding keyways to secure the hook at each position. This allows one hook to perform the function of multiple hooks, reducing the number of components needed while maintaining orientation variety.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic rotation capability of the collar transforms a single static hook into a multi-orientable component. Instead of requiring multiple fixed hooks for different orientations, the system uses one hook that can be dynamically repositioned to various angles through collar rotation, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining versatility.
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
Enables easy cleaning and repair of the device and allows for the reorientation of suture hooks during surgical procedures without needing to change hooks, improving operational efficiency and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
The wheels are aligned in a common plane and rotatable about their respective axes which are spaced a predetermined distance apart so that the perimeters of the wheels may be adjacent or contiguous to each other
Implementation Method 2
The connector means comprises an extension member at the distal end of the handle, the extension having a recess and a collar axially aligned with and rotatably attached to the extension member. The collar has a proximal end and a distal end and is rotatable between an open position, in which it can receive the hollow needle, and a closed position in which it can hold the hollow needle to the handle.
Data Source
AI summary
A suture needle instrument having improved connection means enabling a hollow suture needled to be attached to a handle in a variety of orientations. The suture needle is provided with user accessible suture channels and suture advancing wheels to facilitate cleaning and repair.