Surgical Instrument Electrical Contact for Releasable Loading Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments lack the capability to establish a reliable electrical connection with loading units, which are essential for transmitting information and enabling the proper functioning of surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument design that includes an elongated portion with an electrical contact, which is configured to engage with a loading unit, allowing for the establishment of an electrical connection. The electrical contact is designed with movable segments to facilitate engagement and disengagement with the loading unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a surgical instrument is designed without an electrical connection capability, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simpler, but the ability to transmit information from the loading unit to the surgical instrument is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical contact is nested within the outer wall of the elongated portion, with the distal end of the electrical contact positioned inside the outer wall and the proximal end extending outward. This nesting approach allows the electrical connection capability to be integrated into the existing surgical instrument structure without adding external components, thus transmitting information from the loading unit while minimizing increases in device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the electrical contact is made fixed and non-movable, then the manufacturing precision can be maintained, but the ease of operation during engagement and disengagement of the loading unit is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical contact is designed with the capability to move between a retracted position (where the distal end is inside the outer wall) and an extended position (where the proximal end extends outward for electrical connection). This dynamic design allows the electrical contact to automatically engage with the loading unit during insertion and disengage during removal, improving ease of operation while maintaining manufacturing precision through defined movement boundaries and positioning features.
3Reliability
If the electrical contact extends fully outward from the outer wall, then the electrical connection reliability is improved, but the protection of the electrical contact from damage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical contact dynamically adjusts its position based on operational needs: it extends outward to engage with the loading unit's electrical component for reliable information transmission, then retracts inward to be protected by the outer wall when not in use. This dynamic positioning ensures electrical connection reliability during operation while minimizing exposure to harmful factors during storage and transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer wall serves as a protective structure that beforehand shields the electrical contact from potential damage. When the electrical contact is not engaged with the loading unit, it is positioned inside the outer wall, which cushions and protects it from mechanical damage, contamination, and other harmful factors before the next engagement operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument includes a housing, an elongated portion, and a loading unit. The elongated portion extends distally from the housing, defines a longitudinal axis, and includes an electrical contact. The loading unit is configured to releasably engage the elongated portion. The loading unit includes an electronic component, a proximal portion including an electrical contact in electrical communication with the electronic component, and an end effector coupled to the proximal portion and configured to manipulate tissue. Engagement between the elongated portion and the loading unit causes the electrical contact of the elongated portion to engage the electrical contact of the loading unit thereby electrically connecting the elongated portion and the loading unit.