Flexible Silicone Cover for Medical Suspended-Ceiling Handle Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sterilizable covers for medical suspended ceiling assembly handles are either too large and difficult to grasp, unreliable with capacitive touch technology, or require disassembly for sterilization, making them costly and inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A flexible silicone rubber cover with a friction fit that can be steam, dry heat, or chemically sterilized, featuring a tubular stem and annular flange design that allows for intuitive control element use without disassembly, and is stackable for convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hard-molded outer sleeve is used for sterilizable cover, then sterilization capability is improved, but handle size increases and becomes more difficult to grasp
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible sleeve made of sterilizable material that can be autoclaved. The flexible nature allows the sleeve to conform to the handle without significantly increasing its size, maintaining graspability while providing sterilization capability. The sleeve stretches and flexes to accommodate the handle shape rather than imposing a rigid form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The sterilizable cover is designed as a separate flexible sleeve that can be independently sterilized and then fitted onto the handle. This segmentation allows the sterilization function to be separated from the handle structure, enabling the sleeve to be processed for sterilization without altering the handle's original dimensions and graspability.
2Reliability
If a two-piece sterilizable cover assembly is used, then sterilization capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to disassembly and reassembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sterilizable cover and handle into a single integrated assembly where the flexible sleeve is permanently fitted onto the handle. This merging eliminates the need for disassembly and reassembly during sterilization processes, reducing device complexity while maintaining sterilization capability through the sterilizable material composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated design creates a universal assembly that can be sterilized as a complete unit through autoclaving or other sterilization methods. The flexible sleeve and handle function together as a single sterilizable entity, eliminating the need for separate sterilization procedures for different components.
3Speed
If capacitive touch technology is used in handle, then control responsiveness is improved, but reliability decreases due to surgical glove variability and fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sleeve acts as an intermediary layer between the surgical personnel's hand and the capacitive touch controls on the handle. This intermediary maintains the electrical properties needed for capacitive sensing while providing a barrier that is less sensitive to glove variability and fluid interference, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible sleeve material is selected and designed with specific electrical properties that maintain capacitive touch functionality. By carefully controlling the material's dielectric properties, thickness, and surface characteristics, the system maintains reliable capacitive sensing through the sleeve while reducing sensitivity to external variables like glove type and fluid presence.
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 silicone rubber cover provides reliable, cost-effective, and efficient sterilization without degradation, maintaining control element functionality and ease of use, while being stackable for convenience.
Implementation Method 1
The generally tubular stem portion includes a friction fit portion that is configured to flex radially outwardly to create a friction fit with a portion of the handle grip portion upon receipt of the handle grip portion in the cavity of the generally tubular stem portion
Implementation Method 2
The silicone rubber cover 10 can be steam sterilized in a pressurized autoclave, dry heat sterilized, or chemically sterilized, after each use and reused over again
Implementation Method 3
The silicone rubber cover 10 can be steam sterilized in a pressurized autoclave, dry heat sterilized, or chemically sterilized, after each use and reused over again
Implementation Method 4
The annular flange portion aids in restoring the overall shape of the sterilizable cover over repeated use and sterilizations
Data Source
AI summary
A sterilizable cover for a handle of an accessory of a medical suspended ceiling assembly includes a generally tubular stem portion and an annular flange portion. The generally tubular stem portion has a sufficient size to be gripped by the human hand, and has a proximal end that is open and a distal end that is closed, and defines a cavity along a longitudinal axis for receipt therein of a handle grip portion. The generally tubular stem portion includes a friction fit portion that is configured to flex radially outwardly to create a friction fit with a portion of the handle grip portion upon receipt of the handle grip portion in the cavity of the generally tubular stem portion. The annular flange portion extends radially outwardly from a proximal end of the generally tubular stem portion. The generally tubular stem portion and the annular flange portion are a single continuous piece of flexible silicone rubber.