Surgical Clip Applicator Trigger Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical clip applicators lack simplicity and efficiency in applying surgical clips to wound sites, leading to increased surgical procedure time and potential post-operative infections.

Innovation Solution

A surgical clip applicator with a gun-style base housing, a trigger mechanism, and a cannula that includes a clip application mechanism with pivotable jaws and linkages, allowing for precise placement and closure of surgical clips on tissue, featuring a ratchet and pawl mechanism to ensure completion of the application process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If existing surgical clip applicators are used, then surgical clips can be applied to wound sites, but the application process lacks simplicity and efficiency, increasing surgical procedure time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical procedure timeVSAvoidclip application simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The applicator is divided into distinct functional modules: a body housing containing the mechanism, a cannula for tissue access, a trigger actuation system, and a jaw assembly with linkages. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function, improving overall efficiency while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The surgical clip is pre-loaded into the applicator's jaw mechanism before the surgical procedure begins. The clip is held in a ready-to-apply state within the cannula, eliminating the need for manual clip loading during surgery and significantly reducing procedure time while maintaining simple operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If existing surgical clip applicators are used, then clips can be applied to tissue, but the risk of post-operative infection increases due to prolonged procedure time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfection risk reductionVSAvoidsurgical procedure time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The applicator is designed as a self-contained system that performs all clip application functions automatically through the trigger mechanism. The linkages and jaws work together to automatically position, open, close, and deploy the clip without requiring additional manual manipulation by the surgeon, reducing procedure time and infection risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If a trigger mechanism with linkages and pivotable jaws is used, then precise placement and closure of surgical clips is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclip placement precisionVSAvoidapplicator structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The linkage system employs asymmetric mechanical advantages where the first linkage provides a mechanical advantage greater than one for jaw opening, while the second linkage provides a mechanical advantage less than one for jaw closing. This asymmetric design enables precise control of clip placement and closure forces through a simple trigger mechanism, achieving high precision without excessive structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The jaw assembly incorporates pivotable jaws that can dynamically change their orientation and position during the application process. The linkages transform the linear trigger motion into rotational jaw motion, allowing the jaws to adapt to the tissue and clip geometry for precise placement while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If a ratchet and pawl mechanism is used, then reversal of the application process is prevented, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication process reliabilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ratchet and pawl mechanism is integrated into the linkage system in advance, providing automatic prevention of reverse motion before any problematic situation can occur. This preemptive design ensures that once the clip is applied, the mechanism cannot accidentally reverse, enhancing reliability without requiring complex external control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS9700324B2Surgical clip applicator

Publication Date: 2017.07.11 ZSX MEDICAL LLC

AI summary

A surgical clip applicator includes a base housing having a body portion, a movable trigger, a cannula, and a clip application mechanism extending within and through at least a portion of a length of the cannula. The clip application mechanism includes a movable first linkage and a jaw rotatable about a pivot mount. A first actuation of the trigger causes the first linkage to be moved in a linear direction with respect to the body portion and the cannula and the jaw to be rotated in a first direction about the pivot mount, for placing the clip in an open position on the patient's tissue. A second actuation of the trigger causes the jaw to be rotated in second direction about the pivot mount, the second direction being opposite to the first direction, placing the clip in a closed position on the patient's tissue.