Rotating Implant Holder Geometry for Reliable Grip and Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing operation devices face difficulties in reliably gripping and releasing string-like implants and ensuring easy disposition of the implants in the insertion passage due to the design of the gripping mechanism, which can narrow the passage width when the positional relationship between the outer cylinder and shaft is not aligned correctly.

Innovation Solution

The operation device features a design with an outer cylinder and a shaft that are rotatable relative to each other, incorporating a first and second holding portion that form an insertion passage with a gap or groove, allowing easy implant disposition and secure grip through controlled rotation, with only one holding portion on each component in the circumferential direction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If both the first insertion hole in the outer cylinder and the second insertion hole in the shaft have a groove shape, then the string-like implant can be easily disposed in the insertion passage when aligned correctly, but when a relative positional relationship in the circumferential direction is different from the desired positional relationship, the width of the insertion passage is narrowed at both end portions, making it difficult to dispose the string-like implant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of implant dispositionVSAvoidreliability of implant disposition

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The insertion passage is divided into a narrow portion and a wide portion along its extending direction. The narrow portion corresponds to the region where the groove shapes of the insertion holes are located, while the wide portion corresponds to the region where the holding portions are located. This segmentation allows the passage to have different widths at different locations, providing ease of implant insertion at the wide portion while maintaining alignment precision at the narrow portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The width of the insertion passage is changed along its extending direction, transitioning from a narrow width at the groove region to a wide width at the holding portion region. This parameter change enables the passage to accommodate misalignment during insertion while ensuring proper alignment is maintained through the holding portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If the first insertion hole and second insertion hole are formed in a groove shape, then the implant can be inserted through the opening at the distal end, but the groove shape causes the insertion passage width to be narrowed at both end portions when misaligned

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of insertion passage formationVSAvoidease of implant disposition

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The insertion passage is segmented into regions with different width characteristics. The groove-shaped holes provide a narrow portion for precise alignment, while the holding portion provides a wide portion for easy implant insertion. This segmentation combines the manufacturing advantages of groove shapes with the operational advantages of variable width.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the insertion passage are given different local qualities in terms of width. The groove region has a narrow width for alignment, while the holding portion has a wide width for ease of insertion. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between groove shape manufacturing benefits and insertion ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the outer cylinder and shaft are rotated relative to each other to switch between fixed and release states, then the implant can be securely held or released, but the complexity of the gripping mechanism increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of grip and releaseVSAvoidcomplexity of gripping mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gripping function and the alignment function are merged into a single rotational mechanism. By rotating the shaft relative to the outer cylinder, the system simultaneously achieves both the gripping/release function through holding portion alignment and the passage width modulation function through groove shape alignment. This merging reduces overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20260047866A1Operation device and implanted indwelling instrument

Publication Date: 2026.02.19 TERUMO KK

AI summary

An operation device includes: an outer cylinder that defines a lumen penetrating inside the outer cylinder in an axial direction; and a shaft that is disposed in the lumen and is rotatable relative to the outer cylinder in a circumferential direction of the outer cylinder. The outer cylinder includes: an outer cylinder main body portion having a cylindrical shape, and one or more first holding portions that protrude from a distal end surface of the outer cylinder main body portion only in a partial region of the outer cylinder main body portion in the circumferential direction. The shaft includes: a shaft main body portion having a cylindrical shape or a columnar shape, and one or more second holding portions that protrude from a distal end surface of the shaft main body portion only in a partial region of the shaft main body portion in the circumferential direction.