Medical Stapler Magazine Half-Split Structure for Jam Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical staplers experience jamming issues due to gaps in the magazine's receiving space and the staples' tilt angle, leading to inefficient staple supply and high manufacturing costs associated with complex metal structures.
Innovation Solution
A medical stapler magazine with a half split structure, where the rail's hardness exceeds that of the staples, and the receiving space's width is greater than the staples' width but less than the value resulting from adding the staple's width to 1/3 of its diameter, along with positioning and locking parts, ensures smooth staple movement and assembly accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the receiving space width is increased to allow smooth staple movement, then staple jamming is prevented, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to gap control difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The magazine is divided into two separate half split bodies that are assembled together. This segmentation allows the receiving space width to be precisely controlled through the assembly interface between the two bodies, rather than relying on a single complex molded or machined part. The positioning parts and support holes in each half split body enable accurate alignment and gap control when assembled, resolving the contradiction between smooth staple movement and manufacturing precision.
2Reliability
If a complex metal structure is used for the magazine, then staple supply reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The magazine is segmented into two half split bodies that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This reduces the complexity of individual parts compared to a single complex metal structure, lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining reliability through the assembled configuration with positioning and locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Positioning parts and support holes serve as intermediaries between the two half split bodies, ensuring precise alignment and stable staple supply. These intermediary features enable reliable staple positioning without requiring a monolithic complex structure, thus reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining supply reliability.
3Reliability
If the rail hardness is increased to prevent staple catching, then staple jamming is prevented, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hardness of the rail is specifically increased relative to the staple material hardness. This parameter change ensures that the rail surface is harder than the staples, preventing the sharp end portions of the staples from catching on the rail during feeding. This localized parameter modification prevents jamming without requiring a complete redesign of the magazine structure, thus avoiding excessive manufacturing cost increases.
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
Prevents staple jamming by allowing controlled movement within the magazine and reduces manufacturing costs through a simpler metal structure while maintaining dimensional accuracy and preventing staple catching.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member 7, which biases the ram 6 in a direction away from the edge of the anvil 5a
Implementation Method 2
These staples 3 are biased toward the anvil 5a on the edge of the rail 5 by an elastic member 8
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3
AI summary
There is provided a magazine capable of preventing jamming of staples in a medical stapler, and reducing manufacturing cost. Width of a space for receiving staples 3 of a magazine 40 is greater than length of the staples 3 and is less than the value resulting from adding length of the staples 3 to1/2 of the diameter of the staples, preferably 1/3 thereof or less. In addition to the above configuration, the magazine 40 is formed as half split bodies 41 and 42 on either side of a rail along the length thereof, a convex positioning part 41a is provided on one of the half split bodies, a concavity 42a for engaging with the positioning convexity is formed on the other half split body, support holes 41c and 42c for engaging with positioning parts are formed in the half split bodies, a locking part 41b for holding engagement with the other half split body is provided on said one of the half split bodies, and a to-be-locked part 42b for engaging with the locking part is formed on the other half split body.