Rotatable Flange Trocar Sleeve for Reduced Insertion Depth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional trocar sleeves require a significant insertion depth and minimum body wall thickness, making them unsuitable for procedures on small children or the thyroid gland, and are difficult to produce, assemble, and clean.
Innovation Solution
A trocar sleeve design featuring two sleeve parts with radially extending flange parts that can be rotated to lie in the same plane for insertion and opposite planes for anchoring, allowing for a thin, strong construction and easy assembly/disassembly, reducing insertion depth and facilitating hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flexible flange is used to ensure secure anchoring, then anchoring reliability is improved, but insertion depth and space requirement under the body wall increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is divided into two separate flange parts, each attached to different sleeve parts. This segmentation allows the flanges to be positioned close together (reducing insertion depth) while still providing secure anchoring when spread apart. The two flange parts can be rotated to lie in opposite directions under the body wall, creating effective anchoring with minimal insertion depth.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange parts are made rotatable relative to the sleeve parts, allowing them to transition from an inserted position (lying in the same direction) to an anchored position (lying in opposite directions). This dynamic capability enables the flange to adapt its configuration: compact during insertion, then expanded for secure anchoring, resolving the contradiction between insertion depth and anchoring reliability.
2Strength
If a thick flexible flange is used to counteract body wall pressure, then anchoring strength is improved, but space requirement under the body wall increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring function is segmented between two separate flange parts attached to different sleeve parts. This allows the flanges to be thin (requiring minimal space) yet still provide strong anchoring when positioned in opposite directions, as each flange can effectively counteract body wall pressure independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing flange thickness (one dimension) to improve anchoring strength, the solution uses flange rotation to utilize the angular dimension. The flange parts are oriented in opposite directions under the body wall, creating effective anchoring through spatial arrangement rather than increased thickness, thus reducing the volume required under the body wall.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single-piece rigid construction is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but cleaning accessibility worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The trocar sleeve is segmented into multiple detachable parts (first sleeve part with first flange part, second sleeve part with second flange part). This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity through modular construction while dramatically improving cleaning accessibility, as each part can be detached and cleaned separately, reaching areas that would be inaccessible in a single-piece design.
Solution Approach 2:
The detachable connection between sleeve parts and flange parts allows the structure to transition from an assembled state (for use) to a disassembled state (for cleaning). This dynamic reconfigurability enables the system to maintain manufacturing simplicity while providing excellent cleaning accessibility when needed.
4Strength
If conventional trocar sleeve design is used, then structural integrity is maintained, but adaptability to different body wall thicknesses worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable flange parts allow the trocar sleeve to adapt to different body wall thicknesses by adjusting the angular position of the flanges. When inserted, the flanges lie in the same direction; when anchored, they rotate to lie in opposite directions. This dynamic adjustment maintains structural integrity while providing versatility for different anatomical conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The two flange parts attached to different sleeve parts create a universal anchoring mechanism that works effectively across various body wall thicknesses. The flanges can be positioned to distribute anchoring forces optimally regardless of the specific thickness, making the design universally applicable from thin pediatric walls to thicker adult walls.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The cannula has a sleeve section (4) which is designed as a straight pipe section with a longitudinal axis. Another sleeve section (6) is provided, which is movable relative to the former sleeve section. Flexibility of latter sleeve section relative to the former sleeve section exists during a rotation of the latter sleeve section around the former sleeve section. Each of the two sleeve sections has a respective flange portion (14,16) at distal axial ends. An independent claim is included for a trocar.