Segmented Handswitches for Orientation-Independent Surgical Instrument Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical instruments with handswitches for activating controllers in minimally invasive surgery often require reorientation or stretching to reach switches, leading to inconvenient and potentially inadvertent activation, especially when designs are complex and expensive, like annular handswitches.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with multiple handswitches positioned equidistantly around the housing, connected in common to send the same signal, allowing easy activation regardless of orientation, and including tactile identification for orientation, simplifying manufacture and reducing inadvertent activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single handswitch is provided on the surgical instrument, then the device complexity is low and manufacturing is simple, but the ease of operation deteriorates when the instrument orientation changes
Solution Approach 1:
The single handswitch is segmented into multiple handswitches positioned at different rotational positions around the housing. Each handswitch is a separate component that can be independently actuated, allowing the user to access at least one handswitch regardless of the instrument's rotational orientation while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design
2Ease of operation
If annular handswitches are used to allow activation in any orientation, then the ease of operation improves, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing becomes more difficult and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The complex annular handswitch is segmented into multiple simpler handswitches positioned at different rotational positions. Each handswitch can be manufactured and assembled independently using standard components, eliminating the need for complex annular mechanisms while achieving the same functional benefit of orientation-independent access
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses simple, inexpensive handswitch components rather than complex annular mechanisms. These simple handswitches can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed, reducing both initial manufacturing costs and long-term maintenance expenses
3Ease of operation
If annular handswitches are used to provide activation in any orientation, then the ease of operation improves, but the reliability deteriorates due to inadvertent activation
Solution Approach 1:
The single annular handswitch is segmented into multiple discrete handswitches positioned at different rotational positions. Each handswitch requires deliberate, separate actuation, eliminating the risk of inadvertent activation that occurs with continuous annular surfaces while maintaining easy access from any orientation
Solution Approach 2:
Each handswitch position has a dedicated, localized activation mechanism rather than a continuous annular surface. This localizes the activation function to specific discrete points, requiring intentional contact at each position and preventing unintended activation from incidental contact with the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument comprises a housing, an end effector carried by the housing, and one or more connections adapted to connect the surgical instrument to a controller such as an electrosurgical generator. The housing includes a plurality of handswitches located at different rotational positions around the housing. The handswitches comprise two handswitch sets the handswitches of each set being connected in to common so as to send the same signal to the controller whichever one of the handswitches is activated. In this way a user of the surgical instrument can send signals to the controller using any of the handswitches within a particular set, depending on the orientation of the surgical instrument.