Removable Component Grasping Mechanism for Surgical Instruments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical instruments face challenges in safely inserting and removing reusable components like battery packs from sealed compartments without compromising the sterile surgical field, as traditional methods risk contamination.

Innovation Solution

A removable component with a housing, grasping member, and biasing member is designed for insertion into a surgical instrument's internal compartment, allowing for safe insertion and removal by pivoting the grasping member between presented and stored positions, with a lock assembly to secure the door in the closed position and a release button to unlock it, ensuring sterility is maintained.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If reusable components are inserted into sealed compartments of surgical instruments, then the instrument can be powered and controlled without external tethers, but the risk of contaminating the sterile surgical field increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuntethered operation capabilityVSAvoidsterile field contamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A sterile barrier (sealed compartment) is introduced as an intermediary between the non-sterile reusable component and the sterile surgical field. The barrier allows energy and control signals to pass through while preventing contamination, enabling untethered operation without compromising sterility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The surgical instrument is divided into separate sterile and non-sterile zones using sealed compartments. Reusable components are isolated in non-sterile sections while maintaining functional connectivity to sterile sections through sealed interfaces, allowing independent operation without contamination risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a sealed compartment is used to contain reusable components, then sterility is maintained, but the ease of inserting and removing components is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterility maintenanceVSAvoidcomponent insertion and removal

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sealed compartment incorporates movable elements such as latches, clips, or snap-fits that allow the compartment to dynamically transition between sealed and open states. This enables maintainment of sterility during operation while facilitating easy component exchange when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Access mechanisms are pre-configured within the sealed compartment design, allowing components to be inserted or removed through predetermined sterile pathways without requiring complete opening of the seal, thus maintaining sterility while enabling operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If reusable components are placed in sealed compartments, then the sterile field is protected, but the complexity of the device increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontamination preventionVSAvoidsealed compartment mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Thin flexible barriers or membranes are used to create sealed compartments that provide contamination protection with minimal structural complexity. These thin films can be easily integrated into existing instrument designs while maintaining sterility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

Reusable components are nested within sealed compartments that are themselves contained within the larger instrument housing. This nested structure provides multiple levels of protection and organization without significantly increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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

Enables secure and sterile insertion and removal of components, preventing contamination of the surgical field while allowing for easy exchange of battery packs or other components during procedures.

Implementation Method 1

The biasing member is disposed between the grasping member and the second end of the housing and is configured to bias the grasping member towards the presented position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The grasping member is pivotably coupled to the housing via a hinge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHinge mechanism: Hinge

Data Source

PatentEP3162310B1Devices, systems, and methods facilitating insertion and removal of components from surgical instruments

Publication Date: 2022.07.13 COVIDIEN LP

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B

AI summary

A removable component configured for insertion into an internal compartment of a surgical instrument is provided including a housing defining first and second ends, a grasping member, and a biasing member. The grasping member is operably coupled to the housing at the second end thereof and is movable relative to the housing between a presented position, wherein at least a portion of the grasping member is spaced-apart from the second end of the housing, and a stored position, wherein the grasping member is approximated relative to the second end of the housing. The biasing member is disposed between the grasping member and the second end of the housing and is configured to bias the grasping member towards the presented position. Systems including a surgical instrument and such a removable component and methods of assembling a surgical instrument using the same are also provided.