Surgical Arm Cooling Loop for Flexible Heat Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical instruments with high-resolution imaging and lighting components face challenges in heat management due to size constraints, flexibility requirements, and sterility needs, necessitating effective heat dissipation solutions.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an inner and outer shell with an annular gap and a conduit-array for fluid circulation to absorb heat from heat-producing components, using a pump and conduit-array for forced convection heat removal, with thermal gels or pastes for enhanced thermal communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If high-resolution imaging sensors and powerful light-emitting diodes are used to improve image quality and illumination, then imaging performance is improved, but heat output increases requiring sophisticated cooling
Solution Approach 1:
A fluid intermediary is introduced to transfer heat away from the heat-producing components. The fluid circulates through conduits positioned near the light-emitting diodes and imaging sensors, absorbing excess heat and transporting it to heat dissipation locations, thereby decoupling the heat generation from the sensitive components.
Solution Approach 2:
A hydraulic cooling system is implemented using fluid circulation through conduits. The fluid-based heat transfer mechanism efficiently removes heat from compact high-power components without requiring large thermal mass or complex mechanical cooling structures, solving the contradiction between high illumination intensity and heat management.
2Ease of operation
If the surgical arm is made flexible and articulated to enable minimally invasive access, then ease of operation is improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult due to limited space and movement constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent conduit sections that can flex and bend with the articulated arm segments. Each segment contains its own fluid pathways, allowing the cooling system to maintain thermal effectiveness while accommodating the flexible, jointed structure of the surgical arm.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling conduits are designed to be dynamic and adaptable to the movement of the articulated arm. The fluid circulation system can adjust to changing geometries and positions, maintaining effective heat transfer even as the arm flexes and reconfigures during minimally invasive procedures.
3Volume of moving object
If the surgical instrument size is minimized for minimally invasive insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but heat dissipation capacity is reduced due to limited volume
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system transitions from relying on volumetric heat capacity to utilizing surface-area-based heat transfer through fluid conduits. By positioning conduits in close proximity to heat-generating components and using forced convection, the system achieves effective cooling in a two-dimensional manner rather than requiring three-dimensional thermal mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling approach changes physical parameters by introducing fluid flow velocity and thermal conductivity as key parameters. Instead of relying on passive conduction through solid materials, the system uses forced convection with high-velocity fluid flow to dramatically increase heat transfer coefficients, enabling effective cooling in minimal space.
4Reliability
If the surgical arm components are made sterile and disposable to maintain sterility, then reliability is improved, but heat management becomes more challenging due to material constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical arm components including the cooling conduits are designed as disposable single-use items. This eliminates the need for complex sterilization and material selection for reusability, allowing the use of materials optimized purely for thermal performance and biocompatibility. The entire assembly can be pre-sterilized and disposed of after single use, simplifying heat management considerations.
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
Effectively dissipates heat from heat-producing components within flexible surgical arms, maintaining temperature thresholds and ensuring sterility, while allowing for flexible arm movements and repeated use.
Implementation Method 1
a circulation mechanism configured for introducing a fluid into said annular gap via said first distal orifice and for evacuating said fluid from said annular gap via said second distal orifice, such that said fluid absorbs heat generated by said heat-producing component by passing through said annular gap
Implementation Method 2
thermal gels or pastes for enhanced thermal communication
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical apparatus comprises a flexible and/or articulated arm; a capsule-assembly that is distally connected to the arm, that comprises a liquid-tight shell defining a capsule-assembly-interior, and that has heat-producing imaging and/or electronic component(s) disposed within its interior; and a conduit-array, the conduit-array and a portion of the capsule-assembly-interior that is outside of the conduit-array collectively forming a liquid-sealed closed flow-loop for convective removal of heat from the capsule-assembly-interior, the closed flow-loop comprising arm-disposed section(s) of the conduit-array which are at least partly disposed along and/or within the arm and which collectively longitudinally span, twice and in-parallel, at least a majority of a lengthwise majority of the arm.