Surgical Instrument Blade Stabilization via Distal Pulling

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Solution Overview

Problem

In surgical instruments with a blade section moving along a curved cartridge, the blade movement is often unstable, leading to uneven tissue dissection due to unstabilized push-out direction.

Innovation Solution

The surgical instrument incorporates a blade section with a blade edge directed tangentially within a groove section, guided by first and second guide sections, allowing smooth movement and stabilization during tissue dissection by rotating about a centerline, reducing contact with groove walls and ensuring consistent dissection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the blade section is pushed and moved from the proximal side along a curved cartridge, then the blade section can be moved along the curved shape, but the push-out direction becomes unstable and the blade section moves unsteadily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade movement smoothnessVSAvoiddissection stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of pushing the blade section from the proximal side, the invention pulls the blade section from the distal side toward the proximal side. This inversion of the driving direction allows the blade to move steadily along the curved cartridge path without instability, as the pulling force from the distal end provides better directional control throughout the curved trajectory.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the driving mechanism parameter from push-based to pull-based actuation. This parameter change in the force application method stabilizes the blade section movement along the curved path, ensuring consistent push-out direction and reliable tissue dissection throughout the entire curved trajectory.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the blade section is pushed from the proximal side, then the blade can be actuated, but the movement is unsteady and tissue dissection becomes unstable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedissection efficiencyVSAvoiddissection consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention inverts the actuation direction by pulling the blade section from the distal end rather than pushing from the proximal end. This inversion ensures that the blade maintains a stable and consistent movement trajectory along the curved cartridge, resulting in uniform and precise tissue dissection with improved consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The blade section is designed to move under its own guided trajectory within the curved cartridge, with the distal pulling mechanism ensuring that the blade naturally follows the curved path. This self-guided movement along the predetermined curved trajectory ensures consistent dissection quality and precision throughout the procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3178411B1Surgical instrument
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)
  • EP3178411B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3178411B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3178411B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A surgical instrument includes an insertion section, a first jaw and a second jaw installed at a distal end portion of the insertion section and having a predetermined curved shape, a suture unit, a guide section disposed in at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw, an actuation section having a shaft body movably guided by the guide section and a blade section disposed at a position apart from the shaft body in a direction crossing a direction in which a centerline of the shaft body extends and connected to the shaft body, and a wire extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion of the guide section, being returned at the distal end portion of the guide section, and extends toward the proximal end portion of the guide section to be connected to the actuation section.