Rotating Shaft Transducer Probe for Stable Biopsy Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing transperineal stepper systems face challenges with unstable and complex cradle designs that hinder smooth rotation of the ultrasound probe, leading to blocked access for biopsy needles and problematic cable management, which affects precision and ease of operation during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A rotating shaft design is introduced, where the ultrasound probe is attached to a probe mounting structure and a rotating shaft, allowing for internal cable management and improved accessibility, enabling smooth rotation without interfering with other system operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional cradle design is used to rotate the ultrasound probe, then the probe can be rotated to various angles, but the rotation becomes unstable at the edges of the rotation window and the minimum diameter of the cradle becomes relatively large, blocking access to the grid plate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ultrasound probe from the conventional cradle structure and mounts it directly to the shaft. This removes the cradle's large diameter requirement, allowing the probe to rotate without the blocking interference that prevented needle access to the grid plate edges.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of rotating the probe within a cradle (cradle-centered rotation), the patent inverts the approach by rotating the entire shaft to which the probe is directly mounted (shaft-centered rotation). This inversion eliminates the cradle's geometric constraints and improves both rotation stability and grid plate accessibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional cradle design is used to rotate the ultrasound probe, then the probe can be positioned at different angles, but the cradle design becomes fairly complicated requiring tight tolerances, fine tuning screws, and other adjusters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex cradle structure entirely, extracting only the essential function of probe rotation. By mounting the probe directly to the shaft and rotating the shaft itself, the design eliminates tight tolerances, fine tuning screws, and multiple adjusters, significantly simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft serves multiple functions: it supports the probe mounting structure, enables rotation, and provides the rotational movement itself. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate cradle components and their associated complexity, achieving the same rotational adjustment capability with a unified structure.
3Ease of operation
If a shaft design is used to rotate the ultrasound probe, then cable management becomes problematic since the cable attached to the proximal end of the probe interferes with rotational movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the cable inside the hollow interior of the shaft. The cable runs through the shaft's internal space, allowing the shaft to rotate freely without the cable interfering with rotational movement. This nested arrangement solves the cable management problem while maintaining smooth rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft acts as an intermediary structure that accommodates the cable within its hollow interior. This mediator allows the cable to be protected and guided while the shaft rotates, preventing the cable from interfering with rotational movement and eliminating the need for complex external cable management mechanisms.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional cradle design is used, then the ultrasound probe can be rotated, but the cradle is difficult to clean and keep clean
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the probe from the complex cradle structure and mounts it directly to the shaft. This simplification results in fewer crevices, joints, and adjustment mechanisms, making the overall structure much easier to clean and maintain while preserving the essential probe rotation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
By inverting the design approach and rotating the shaft with the probe directly mounted rather than using a cradle, the patent creates a smoother, more continuous structure with fewer hard-to-reach areas. This inverted design significantly improves cleanability while maintaining full rotational functionality.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2~3B
AI summary
A device includes an ultrasound probe including an elongated neck insertable in a patient and rotatable around a first longitudinal axis, an ultrasound transducer, and an elongated body rotatable around a second longitudinal axis that is parallel to and offset from the first longitudinal axis. The elongated body is removably attached to a probe mounting structure. A shaft is attached to the probe mounting structure, where rotation of the shaft causes corresponding rotation of the probe mounting structure and the attached elongated body of the ultrasound probe. The shaft defines a longitudinal shaft channel in an interior portion and a longitudinal shaft groove extending from a surface of the shaft to the longitudinal shaft channel. A cable is insertable into the longitudinal shaft channel through the longitudinal shaft groove, and enters an internal channel of the ultrasound probe through the longitudinal shaft channel enabling electrical connection with the ultrasound transducer.