Sterile Cartridge Pack Opening for Rapid Applicator Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
In endoscopic treatments, the process of mounting a treatment instrument in an applicator requires tearing a sterile pack and removing the cartridge with both hands, which prolongs the treatment time.
Innovation Solution
A cartridge system with a pack that transitions from a first form to a second form, allowing the cartridge to protrude and expose an insertion port, enabling easy mounting of the treatment instrument into an applicator with minimal effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sterile pack is used to house the cartridge, then sterility is maintained, but the treatment time increases due to the need to tear the pack and remove the cartridge manually
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is nested within the sterile pack in such a way that the applicator can be inserted through the pack material to access the cartridge without breaking sterility. The pack acts as a protective outer layer while the applicator penetrates it to reach the treatment instrument, allowing both sterility maintenance and rapid instrument deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The sterile pack is pre-configured with an opening mechanism or pre-cut section that allows the applicator to be inserted and the cartridge to be released automatically or with minimal manual intervention. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming manual tearing and removal steps during the actual treatment procedure.
2Ease of operation
If both hands are used to tear the sterile pack and remove the cartridge, then the cartridge can be removed, but the operation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is designed with self-release features that allow it to be automatically dispensed from the sterile pack when the applicator is inserted. The mechanical interaction between the applicator and the cartridge release mechanism enables the cartridge to eject itself without requiring manual manipulation, thereby simplifying the operation and reducing the time required for instrument mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge removal function is extracted from the manual operation and integrated into the applicator insertion process itself. As the applicator is inserted through the sterile pack, it automatically triggers the cartridge release and extraction mechanism, combining two actions (insertion and removal) into one seamless operation that requires minimal user intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A cartridge system including: a treatment instrument configured to be configured to be loaded into an applicator; a cartridge in which an insertion port which the applicator is configured to be inserted into and pass through in an insertion/passage direction is formed and the treatment instrument is housed; and a pack in which a storage area that is configured to house the cartridge is formed, in which the cartridge is configured to transition to a first form in which the cartridge is housed in the storage area of the pack and a second form in which at least a part protrudes from the storage area, and the pack is opened in accordance with transition of the cartridge from the first form to the second form.