Slider Electro-Mechanical Valve for Medical Shaver Suction Control
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical orthopedic shaver devices with mechanical valves in the suction cannula face limitations in suction control, cleaning, and sanitization due to the valve's integrated location, leading to inefficiencies and increased risk of clogging.
Innovation Solution
A fluid management assembly featuring a slider electro-mechanical valve system with a magnet and Hall effect sensor, allowing remote control of suction flow through a separate occluding member, eliminating direct contact with the cannula and enabling easier cleaning and ergonomic handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a mechanical valve is integrated within the suction cannula of the handpiece, then suction control is achieved, but cleaning and sanitization become difficult and clogging risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suction control system is divided into two separate components: a slider mechanism housed in the handpiece and a valve mechanism housed in the console. This segmentation allows the valve to be separated from the suction cannula, enabling easy cleaning and sanitization of the cannula while maintaining suction control functionality through the remote console-based valve.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mechanism is extracted from the handpiece and placed in the console. This extraction removes the source of cleaning difficulties and clogging risks from the handpiece suction path, allowing the cannula to be easily cleaned and sanitized without disassembling valve components.
2Ease of operation
If a mechanical valve is integrated within the suction cannula, then suction control is achieved, but the device complexity increases and ergonomics are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The suction control system is segmented into a simple slider mechanism in the handpiece and a valve mechanism in the console. This reduces the complexity within the handpiece while maintaining full suction control functionality through the separated components.
3Ease of operation
If a mechanical valve is integrated within the suction cannula, then suction control is achieved, but turbulence and clogging risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve mechanism is extracted from the suction cannula path and placed in the console. This removal eliminates the mechanical valve from the fluid path, thereby reducing turbulence and clogging risks within the suction cannula while maintaining suction control through the remote valve.
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 simpler and more efficient cleaning, reduced turbulence, and minimized clogging risks, while allowing for ergonomic handling and precise suction control, enhancing the usability and reliability of the medical shaver devices.
Implementation Method 1
A fluid management assembly featuring a slider electro-mechanical valve system with a magnet and Hall effect sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a fluid management assembly. The fluid management assembly includes a handpiece, a slider based fluid control mechanism, and a fluid occluding member. The slider based fluid control mechanism housed in the handpiece. The fluid occluding member is configured to be in communication with the fluid control mechanism. The fluid occluding member being separate from the handpiece.