Self-Sealing Medical Instrument Control Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical instrument control arrangements require sealing agents like silicone for assembly, which is time-consuming and costly, and do not allow for easy disassembly for maintenance or repair.
Innovation Solution
A control arrangement that automatically seals with a housing upon assembly using a retaining clip and sealing member, eliminating the need for external sealing agents and enabling disassembly for maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing agent like silicone is used around the control arrangement at the junction between the arrangement and the instrument housing, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the assembly time and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the sealing agent (silicone) from the assembly process by implementing a self-sealing mechanical interface between the control arrangement and housing. The control arrangement includes integrated sealing features such as gaskets or sealing lips that create a seal through mechanical contact alone, removing the need for separate sealing agents and their associated application and curing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The control arrangement is designed with self-sealing capabilities through its own structural features. The housing and control arrangement incorporate complementary sealing surfaces, elastomeric sealing lips, or deformable gaskets that automatically create a seal when mated together, without requiring external sealing agents or additional assembly operations.
2Reliability
If a sealing agent like silicone is used around the control arrangement, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the sealing agent material and its associated application infrastructure from the manufacturing process. The self-sealing mechanical interface eliminates costs related to purchasing, storing, and applying sealing compounds, as well as quality control steps for verifying seal integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control arrangement and housing are designed with inherent self-sealing features that eliminate the need for separate sealing materials. This reduces bill of materials costs and simplifies the manufacturing process, making the product more cost-effective to produce while maintaining sealing reliability.
3Reliability
If the control arrangement is sealed with a sealing agent, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the disassembly capability for maintenance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The self-sealing mechanism is designed to be reversible, allowing the control arrangement to be easily assembled and disassembled multiple times. The sealing features such as elastomeric lips or deformable gaskets maintain their sealing capability after repeated mating and separation cycles, enabling maintenance and repair operations without compromising seal integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing interface incorporates dynamic or flexible elements such as elastomeric materials that can deform during assembly to create a seal, then flexibly accommodate repeated assembly and disassembly operations. This dynamic sealing approach maintains sealing effectiveness while allowing for easy maintenance access.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a reliable, cost-effective, and easily maintainable sealing mechanism that prevents external environmental exposure without the need for additional components or assembly steps, while allowing for disassembly when necessary.
Implementation Method 1
The retaining clip is resiliently disposed in a housing opening to prevent dislodgement of the control arrangement from the tool housing
Data Source
AI summary
A control arrangement for use in a medical or surgical instrument, which arrangement includes a keypad for providing manual control functions to a user of the instrument, a retainer clip and a sealing member. The keypad and retainer clip are located within an opening formed in the instrument housing, whereby when the retainer clip is assembled to the housing, the retainer clip automatically causes the sealing member to sealingly engage with a corresponding sealing surface defined adjacent the housing opening, without the need for the use of additional sealing agents.