Surgical Blade Coupler with Pivot Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for handling and managing surgical blades are inadequate, particularly in terms of safe attachment, detachment, handoff, disposal, and storage, as they often require direct handling of sharp blades, which can lead to injuries and complicate hygiene and sterility maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A device with a housing and pivot member that allows for coupling and decoupling of blades and handles, enabling safe arming, handoff, and disposal by reducing direct contact with the blade, using a pivotable mechanism to transition between unlocked and locked configurations for secure blade retention within the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If direct handling methods are used for blade attachment and removal, then the process is simple and quick, but user safety is compromised due to direct contact with sharp blades
Solution Approach 1:
The device introduces an intermediary mechanism (housing with pivot member) that mediates between the user and the sharp blade. The pivot member acts as a mediator that can be manipulated safely while controlling the blade's attachment and removal, eliminating direct hand-to-blade contact while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the housing that contains the blade, the pivot member that controls blade exposure, and the handle that receives the blade. This segmentation allows safe manipulation of individual components without exposing users to the sharp blade edge
2Productivity
If blades are exposed for easy handling, then operational efficiency is improved, but the risk of injury and contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot member provides dynamic control over blade exposure. It can pivot between positions that expose the blade for efficient handling and positions that retract/protect the blade to minimize injury and contamination risks. This dynamic mechanism maintains productivity while reducing harmful factors
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a secure locking mechanism is added to prevent blade reuse, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is merged with the existing pivot member mechanism. The same pivot member that controls blade exposure during attachment also provides the locking function to prevent reuse. This consolidation prevents blade reuse without adding separate complex locking components, maintaining relative simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
A device is provided for coupling and decoupling a blade and a handle, wherein the device includes a housing that defines an interior chamber and an exterior slot adjacent the interior chamber. The exterior slot is dimensioned to pass the blade and is configured to receive a portion of the handle. The housing defines a groove in the interior chamber configured to retain the blade in a ready configuration for coupling the blade to the handle. The device includes a pivot member secured within the interior chamber of the housing. The pivot member is pivotable between an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration. The unlocked configuration of the pivot member is configured to allow the blade in the ready configuration to be coupled to the handle. The locked configuration of the pivot member is configured to lock the blade within the interior chamber.