Suction Device Ejection Mechanism for Single-Handed Clog Clearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical suction devices often clog with hard materials like bone fragments, requiring additional hands to operate ejection wires for clearing, which is inconvenient and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A suction device with a shorter ejection wire travel length (≤4 cm) and a knob placement on the side opposite the suction tube bend, allowing single-handed operation, along with anti-clog mechanisms like a 'choke point' and lateral openings to prevent clogs and facilitate debris removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ejection wire channel extends fully through the suction tube to clear clogs, then the clearing capability is improved, but the device requires two hands to operate and becomes less convenient
Solution Approach 1:
The ejection wire channel is nested within the suction tube wall, with the wire exit opening positioned at the distal end of the suction tube. This nested configuration allows the ejection wire to reach the tip opening while keeping the control knob accessible near the handle, enabling single-handed operation while maintaining effective clog clearing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejection wire channel extends through the wall thickness of the suction tube rather than running parallel to the tube axis. This dimensional change allows the wire to reach the distal tip while keeping the control mechanism accessible at the proximal handle area, resolving the contradiction between reach and accessibility.
2Device complexity
If the suction tube has a straight configuration, then the structure is simple, but the device cannot effectively reach or clear clogs in curved anatomical passages
Solution Approach 1:
The suction tube is divided into multiple sections with different bend angles, creating a segmented curved configuration. This segmentation allows the tube to navigate curved anatomical passages while maintaining structural simplicity in each individual section.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction tube incorporates curved bends rather than straight or angular configurations. This curvature allows the device to follow the natural contours of anatomical passages, improving adaptability while maintaining structural simplicity through smooth continuous curves.
3Reliability
If the ejection wire knob has a long travel range, then the wire can clear deeper clogs, but the knob becomes difficult to operate with one hand
Solution Approach 1:
The ejection wire channel is positioned within the wall thickness of the suction tube, allowing the wire to achieve sufficient travel distance to clear deep clogs while the knob remains positioned within easy reach at the handle. This spatial arrangement in the wall dimension resolves the contradiction between travel range and accessibility.
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
Enables efficient and single-handed operation of the ejection wire for clearing clogs, reducing the risk of clogs and improving surgical efficiency, particularly in orthopedic surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
a suction tube having a suction opening at a distal end of the suction apparatus and having an interior defining a tubular suction channel for the removal of debris through suction at the suction opening
Data Source
AI summary
A suction device is provided that includes a clearance mechanism that includes features that may facilitate its use by the surgeon with a single hand, thereby freeing up the other hand during a surgical operation.