Surgical End Tool Pulley Assembly for Intuitive Jaw and Staple Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments used in laparoscopic surgery lack intuitive motion alignment between the operator's manipulation and the end tool, affecting accuracy, reliability, and speed of surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with an end tool that includes a first and second jaw, each with a pulley rotatable around a shaft, and a staple drive assembly with pulleys that convert rotational motion into linear motion, allowing for intuitive manipulation and precise stapling and cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional surgical instrument design is used, then the structure is simpler, but the manipulation direction and end tool operation direction are not intuitively aligned, reducing surgical accuracy and operator convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The end tool is segmented into distinct functional components: first and second jaws for gripping, first and second jaw pulleys for jaw actuation, and first and second staple pulleys for stapling. Each pulley is rotatable around a dedicated shaft, allowing independent control of different surgical functions. This segmentation enables intuitive manipulation where each control element corresponds to a specific end tool action.
Solution Approach 2:
Pulleys serve as intermediary elements that translate rotational motion from manipulation portions into linear motion of jaws and stapling components. The jaw pulleys convert rotation into jaw opening/closing motion, while the staple pulleys convert rotation into stapling cartridge actuation. These intermediaries create intuitive motion alignment between operator input and end tool response.
2Measurement precision
If the end tool is made more complex with multiple pulleys and shafts for intuitive manipulation, then the ease of operation improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end tool is divided into specialized components: gripping jaws, jaw pulleys for precise jaw control, staple pulleys for accurate stapling actuation, and reciprocating assemblies for controlled cartridge movement. Each segment handles a specific surgical function with high precision, and the modular design allows the complexity to be distributed across independent functional units rather than a monolithic complex structure.
3Productivity
If the surgical instrument uses a straightforward mechanical design, then the device complexity is lower, but the speed and reliability of surgical procedures are reduced due to lack of intuitive motion alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley systems enable continuous and direct transmission of operator manipulation into end tool actions without dead zones or non-intuitive transitions. As the operator rotates the manipulation portions, the jaws open/close and staples are fired in continuous, predictable motion. This continuous useful action eliminates delays and improves surgical workflow speed, despite the mechanical complexity of multiple pulleys.
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
Enhances the intuitive alignment of manipulation direction with the end tool operation, improving accuracy, reliability, and speed of surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a first jaw pulley coupled to the first jaw and formed to be rotatable around a first shaft; a second jaw pulley coupled to the second jaw, formed to be rotatable around a shaft that is substantially the same as or parallel to the first shaft
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an end tool of a surgical instrument and a surgical instrument including the same, and more particularly, to an end tool of a surgical instrument that may be mounted on a robotic arm or operable manually to be used in laparoscopic surgery or other various surgeries, wherein the end tool is rotatable in two or more directions and is moved in a way that intuitively matches a motion of a manipulation portion, and a surgical instrument including the same.