Surgical Braid Color Alternation via Active Passive Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical braids made of a single color are difficult for medical professionals to track and identify due to their uniform appearance, which can lead to improper stitching and inadequate tissue securing during wound closure or repair.
Innovation Solution
A method of making surgical braids using a braiding machine that alternates the color and pattern of strands, employing active and passive tracks and horn gear assemblies to create visible trace strands, enhancing visibility and pattern differentiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If surgical braids are made of a single color, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the braids are difficult for medical professionals to see and track
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by incorporating multiple colored strands (e.g., blue, green, red, yellow) into the surgical braid construction. These colored strands create visible patterns that allow medical professionals to easily see and track the braid during surgical procedures, directly resolving the visibility issue while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process through the use of a multi-color braiding machine
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If surgical braids use multiple colors and patterns, then visibility and tracking are improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the braiding process into separate functional components: multiple independent bobbins (each holding a different colored strand), separate tracks (active and passive), and individual horn gear assemblies for each bobbin. This modular segmentation allows the complex multi-color braiding process to be managed through standardized, interchangeable components, reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics through the selective engagement mechanism where bobbins can be moved between active tracks (participating in braiding) and passive tracks (stored or prepared). This dynamic reconfiguration allows the machine to handle multiple colors and patterns flexibly without requiring a completely different mechanism for each pattern change
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a surgical braid. The method comprises moving a plurality of bobbins along an active track, the active track being an endless track; and selectively moving a bobbin to a passive track while continuing to move the remaining bobbins along the active track.