Reusable Surgical Instrument Module With Hinged Cover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Reusable surgical instruments face challenges such as labor-intensive cleaning procedures and complex disassembly requirements, which can lead to contamination and discourage use due to their complexity.

Innovation Solution

A method of inserting a reusable surgical instrument module into an outer housing shell with a hinged instrument shell cover, where the module includes a motor and a display screen for feedback, allowing for easy cleaning and sterilization of the outer housing without compromising the module, and forming a secure seal to ensure a fluid-tight connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If reusable surgical devices have removable and replaceable components to provide clean surfaces for each use, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of disassembly increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoiddisassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical device is divided into distinct modular components including an outer housing shell, instrument module, and hinged cover that can be easily separated. This segmentation allows each component to be independently cleaned and sterilized, improving cleaning effectiveness while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized interfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The instrument module containing the motor is extracted as a separate removable component from the outer housing shell. This extraction allows the motor-containing module to be removed for cleaning or replacement without disassembling the entire device, thereby improving cleaning accessibility while reducing the practical complexity of disassembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If reusable surgical devices are designed with multiple components for cleaning, then sterilization capability is improved, but labor intensity of cleaning procedures increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesterilization capabilityVSAvoidcleaning labor intensity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device is segmented into an outer housing shell, instrument module, and hinged cover that can be quickly separated. This segmentation enables each component to be independently sterilized using standard autoclave procedures, improving sterilization capability while reducing cleaning labor through simplified disassembly and reassembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The instrument module is extracted as a removable unit that can be easily removed from the outer housing shell for sterilization. This extraction allows the main housing and cover to be cleaned separately without requiring complex disassembly, thereby improving sterilization capability while reducing the labor intensity of cleaning procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If reusable surgical devices use hinged connections for assembly, then ease of assembly is improved, but seal integrity may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidseal integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A seal member is introduced as an intermediary element between the hinged cover and the outer housing shell. This seal member maintains fluid-tight closure while accommodating the hinged connection's movement, thereby preserving seal integrity while maintaining the ease of assembly provided by the hinged design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3590441B1System and method for performing surgical procedures with a reusable instrument module
Publication Date: 2024.02.28 COVIDIEN LP
  • EP3590441B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3590441B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3590441B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of inserting a reusable surgical instrument module (110) into an outer housing shell (280) having a hinged instrument cover shell (290), wherein the outer housing shell defines a cavity (282) therein, and the outer housing shell (280) defines an upper outer housing half (280A), and a lower outer housing half (280B), the method comprising: inserting the instrument module (110) into the outer housing shell (280); and connecting or attaching at least a portion of the lower outer housing half (280B) of the outer housing shell (280) to the instrument shell cover (290) via a hinged mechanism, characterised in that at least one motor (140) is disposed within a cavity defined in an inner housing shell (111) of the instrument module (110).