Surgical End Tool Jaw With Pulley-Wire Movement Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical staplers used in laparoscopic surgery lack precise control over the movement of operation members, leading to potential misalignment and inefficiencies during stapling and cutting procedures.
Innovation Solution
An end tool with a jaw structure that includes a movable operation member, a fixed pulley, and a forward-moving wire system, where the wire is rerouted through a pulley to transmit force efficiently, allowing precise forward and backward movement of the operation member, enhancing alignment and control during stapling and cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional surgical stapler design is used, then the structure is simple, but the control precision over operation member movement is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A wire is introduced as an intermediary element to transmit force from the operator to the operation member. The wire allows precise control of the operation member's movement by converting rotational motion at the operator into linear motion of the operation member, thereby improving control precision without requiring direct mechanical connection
Solution Approach 2:
The control mechanism transitions from direct linear movement to rotational movement at the operator, utilizing a different dimensional approach. The operator rotates while the operation member moves linearly, achieving precise control through dimensional transformation via the wire and pulley system
2Reliability
If the operation member movement is not precisely controlled, then the device structure remains simple, but misalignment occurs during stapling and cutting procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The wire acts as a mediator that ensures synchronized and precise movement of the operation member, preventing misalignment during stapling and cutting by accurately transmitting the operator's rotational input to the operation member's linear movement
Solution Approach 2:
The pulley system provides mechanical feedback that ensures the operation member moves in precise correspondence with the operator's rotation, maintaining alignment accuracy through the geometric relationship between pulley rotation and wire tension
3Ease of operation
If a fixed pulley system is added to improve movement control, then control precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The operator serves multiple functions: it rotates to drive the wire for operation member movement, and its rotational position can indicate the movement distance of the operation member. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components while improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The wire acts as a flexible transmission element that can bend and route through the device structure, allowing complex motion transformations without requiring rigid mechanical linkages, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining control precision
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 precise control over the operation member's movement, ensuring stable and accurate stapling and cutting processes, improving surgical efficiency and reducing misalignment issues.
Implementation Method 1
a fixed pulley disposed closer to a distal end of the jaw than the operation member, and a forward-moving wire which is connected to the operation member after being rerouted in response to the fixed pulley to transmit a force to the operation member
Data Source
AI summary
An end tool includes a jaw formed to accommodate at least one region of an operation member that is movable in at least one direction, a fixed pulley disposed closer to a distal end of the jaw than the operation member, and a forward-moving wire which is connected to the operation member after being rerouted in response to the fixed pulley to transmit a force to the operation member, and moves toward a proximal end of the jaw to transmit a driving force so that the operation member moves forward toward the distal end of the jaw.