Rotatable Nonlinear Connector for Calibration-Free Surgical Probe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bent tip probes used in minimally invasive surgery face limitations in positional flexibility and require repeated calibrations for each adjustment, leading to cumbersome and time-consuming procedures with a high risk of inaccuracies due to multiple orientation constraints.
Innovation Solution
A surgical probe with a nonlinear connector that is rotatable about a center axis, allowing the tip to maintain a constant position relative to the position sensing device, independent of the connector's orientation, enabling user-selectable orientations with reduced variables and constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the bent tip probe is rigidly coupled to a position sensing device, then the probe can maintain a fixed orientation, but the positional flexibility and range of movement are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is divided into distinct segments: a handle portion, a nonlinear connector portion with rotational degrees of freedom, and a tip portion. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently while maintaining overall probe flexibility and positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The nonlinear connector is designed with rotational joints that allow dynamic adjustment of the probe's orientation. The connector can rotate about one or more axes, enabling the probe to adapt to different anatomical surfaces while maintaining a calibrated relationship between the tip and position sensing device.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the probe tip orientation is adjusted to access different anatomic surfaces, then access to multiple surfaces is improved, but repeated calibrations are required which are time-consuming and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is pre-calibrated during manufacturing or initial setup, establishing a known geometric relationship between the tip and the position sensing device. This preliminary calibration eliminates the need for repeated calibrations during surgical procedures, saving time and reducing interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The nonlinear connector design allows the probe to maintain its calibration across multiple orientations and positions. The connector's rotational capabilities enable the probe to access various anatomic surfaces while preserving the established calibration, making the probe universally applicable for different surgical scenarios without recalibration.
3Measurement precision
If multiple orientation constraints are applied to the probe, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the complexity of calibration and adjustment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration constraints are applied locally at specific points on the probe, such as the tip and reference markers, rather than requiring global orientation constraints. This localized approach simplifies the calibration process while maintaining positioning accuracy through precise measurement at critical locations.
Data Source
AI summary
A probe is provided. The probe may include a shaft portion rotatably attachable to a position sensing device, a nonlinear portion at least partially removed from a center axis of the shaft portion, and a tip disposed at a distal end of the nonlinear portion and positioned on the center axis. The nonlinear portion may be selectably rotatable about the center axis to one of a plurality of rotational orientations. The tip may have a substantially constant position relative to the position sensing device.