Surgical Guide Assembly with Rotatable Strap and Grooved Knob

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical sheaths are prone to unintended retraction or tearing during removal, often displacing catheters and requiring repetitive procedures, and are not adjustable to accommodate different instruments or patient conditions.

Innovation Solution

A surgical implement assembly featuring a strap rotatably attached to a knob with a clip that securely engages a circumferential groove, allowing for adjustable positioning and secure attachment of guides to surgical instruments, preventing shifting and facilitating controlled removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a locking clip is used to secure the dilator and sheath together, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a locking clip with teeth for engagement, a tab for actuation, and a groove for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while maintaining overall system reliability without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tab acts as an intermediary element between the user's manual input and the locking mechanism. By pressing the tab, the user indirectly actuates the locking clip to engage with the groove, providing a simple interface that achieves reliable attachment without complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the sheath is made non-adjustable to simplify the structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different instruments and patient conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidadaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The sheath system incorporates dynamic elements including a rotatable strap and movable locking clip that can engage at different positions along the groove. This allows the structure to adapt to different instrument sizes and patient conditions while maintaining a relatively simple overall design through mechanical adjustment rather than multiple fixed configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3049002B1Surgical implement guide assembly and assembly method
Publication Date: 2019.11.27 MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
  • EP3049002B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3049002B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3049002B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Features of guides and surgical implements, which may be utilized together in various assemblies, are disclosed. Surgical implements or other devices within the scope of this disclosure may include a circumferentially grooved knob. The knob may be configured to receive a portion of a guide. Further, a clip may be configured to releasably secure the guide to the surgical implement. The clip may be coupled to the knob, for example, by a strap rotatably coupled to the knob. The knob may also define a stop-ledge configured as an abutment for the guide. The knob may also define a central passageway, which may also be surrounded by a hollow hub, for receiving an additional surgical implement or device.