Surgical Cable Holder with Segmented Loop Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current packaging systems for surgical cables face challenges such as twisting, kinking, and difficulty in handling due to the resilient properties of the cables, which can lead to cable weakening and impaired handling during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A cable holder with upper and lower portions that couple to form an interior space for holding a coiled surgical cable, allowing controlled release of stored energy, preventing rapid uncoiling or twisting, and enabling easy withdrawal of the cable in a single linear motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the surgical cable is wound into a coil and inserted into a plastic pouch, then the cable is contained and protected, but the cable expands within the pouch causing twisting or kinking that weakens the cable and inhibits handling
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is segmented into multiple loops of substantially equal size within the packaging device, with each loop confined to a specific region. This segmentation prevents the cable from expanding uncontrollably and causing twisting or kinking, while maintaining cable integrity and facilitating easy removal as a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable is pre-configured into loops of substantially equal size before packaging, and the packaging device is pre-formed with regions designed to accommodate these loops. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for labor-intensive pressing into channels and ensures the cable can be quickly removed without twisting or kinking.
2Reliability
If the surgical cable is packaged within a tray having a removable cover, then the cable is protected, but the cable is difficult to insert into the tray by pressing into a channel, requiring labor intensive processes
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is pre-configured into loops of substantially equal size, and the packaging device is pre-formed with regions designed to accommodate these loops. This eliminates the need for labor-intensive pressing operations and allows for quick assembly by simply placing the pre-configured cable into the pre-formed packaging device.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging device has different regions with different configurations - each region is designed to accommodate a specific loop of the cable. This local differentiation ensures proper cable placement without requiring uniform pressing operations, reducing manufacturing complexity and labor requirements.
3Productivity
If the surgical cable is removed from the tray by pulling outward from the channel, then the cable is extracted, but the resilient properties cause portions of the cable to rapidly uncoil, twist, or impair handling
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is divided into multiple loops of substantially equal size, each confined to a specific region within the packaging device. When the cable is removed by pulling on the connector, the loops are sequentially extracted in an organized manner, preventing rapid uncoiling and twisting that would occur with a single continuous cable configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging device acts as an intermediary structure that maintains the cable's organized loop configuration during removal. As the cable is pulled outward, the packaging device guides the sequential extraction of loops, preventing the cable from rapidly uncoiling or twisting and ensuring smooth handling throughout the removal process.
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
The solution provides cost-efficient packaging that allows for rapid and controlled removal of surgical cables from their coiled configuration to an uncoiled state, reducing the risk of cable damage and improving handling during surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
because a resilient cable may store potential energy when the cable is coiled, removing the cable from the pouch causes release of the energy and causes the cable to rapidly uncoil
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical cable packaging system and method are provided including, in one aspect, a cable holder having an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper and lower portions may have cooperating structures configured to be coupled together to form an interior space in which the cable is coiled. The cable holder may have an opening through which the cable extends to allow the cable to be removed from the interior space. In another aspect, a method of inserting a surgical cable into a cable holder comprising wrapping the cable around a body portion of a fixture and sliding the cable into an interior space of the cable holder in a coiled configuration.