Staple Cartridge Deployable Knife Curved Deck
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical cutting and stapling instruments face challenges in efficiently cutting and stapling tissue due to limitations in the design of staple cartridges and the interaction between the staple driver and anvil, leading to inconsistent tissue compression and staple deployment.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a staple cartridge with a curved deck surface and projections, along with a driver retention system and a firing mechanism that includes a sled with ramped surfaces to ensure consistent staple ejection and tissue cutting, enhancing the interaction between the staple driver and anvil for improved tissue compression and staple deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional staple cartridge design is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of tissue compression and staple deployment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The staple cartridge is divided into distinct functional modules: a curved deck surface for staple formation, projections that engage with the anvil, and a firing mechanism with ramped surfaces. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall precision in tissue compression and staple deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved deck surface is a key feature that replaces conventional flat surfaces. This curvature enables more precise staple formation and engagement with the anvil, directly improving the manufacturing precision of tissue compression and staple deployment without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
2Reliability
If a conventional staple driver-anvil interaction is used, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of staple deployment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The firing mechanism includes pre-configured ramped surfaces and projections that are prepared in advance to guide the staple driver's interaction with the anvil. This preliminary arrangement ensures reliable staple deployment while keeping the operation straightforward, as the complex geometry is pre-established rather than requiring complex real-time control.
Solution Approach 2:
The ramped surfaces act as intermediaries between the staple driver and the anvil, facilitating a controlled interaction. These intermediate structures guide the force transmission and staple engagement, improving reliability without requiring the staple driver to directly interact with the anvil in a complex manner.
3Productivity
If the staple cartridge structure is simplified, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the productivity of tissue cutting and stapling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into the curved deck surface and projections: staple formation, tissue compression, and engagement with the anvil are all integrated into this single component structure. This merging improves productivity by reducing the number of separate operations needed while the curved geometry can be efficiently manufactured using standard forming processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved deck surface integrates multiple functional requirements into a single streamlined component. This curvature enables efficient staple formation and tissue compression in one motion, improving productivity. The curved surface can be manufactured using conventional forming techniques, maintaining ease of manufacture while enhancing functional performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body, staples removably stored in the cartridge body, a sled configured to eject said staples from said cartridge body, and a deployable tissue cutting knife. During use, a firing member of a stapling instrument is advanced into the staple cartridge to deploy the tissue cutting knife and advance the sled distally through a staple firing stroke.