Surgical Instrument Locking Mechanism for Articulation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments face challenges in maintaining a secure locking state at any position, rather than just a fixed position, and in reducing clearance in the locking mechanism, particularly for preventing pitch and yaw motions, due to inadequate frictional force and inconvenient switching between locking and unlocking states.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with a locking device that includes a steering unit capable of articulation, featuring a locking unit that generates frictional force between two body parts to prevent relative movement, and an unlocking unit that selectively releases the locking state by pushing the locking unit away, allowing for secure locking and unlocking at any position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a connection member is coupled to members to fix their location, then the locking state is maintained, but the locking performance is insufficient and switching between locking and unlocking states is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The locking unit is designed to dynamically adjust its position between locked and unlocked states. The elastic member enables the locking unit to move between contacting both body parts (locked state) and moving away from them (unlocked state), providing dynamic switching capability that resolves the contradiction between maintaining secure locking and enabling convenient state transitions
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member provides self-service by automatically returning the locking unit to the locked position after unlocking. When the unlocking unit pushes the locking unit away to release the lock, the elastic member stores energy and automatically restores the locking unit to its original positioned between the body parts, eliminating the need for additional components or complex mechanisms to maintain the locked state
2Reliability
If a magnetic force or gear teeth are used to prevent relative movement, then the locking state is achieved at a predetermined position, but clearance exists and movement cannot be prevented at any position
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism transitions from preventing movement at discrete predetermined positions (zero-dimensional or one-dimensional approach) to continuous position locking along the entire movement path. The locking unit contacts both body parts simultaneously at any position within the movement range, effectively adding a dimensional aspect of continuous position control rather than discrete point locking
Solution Approach 2:
The locking unit is designed with universal applicability across the entire movement path of the body parts. Rather than requiring specific alignment or predetermined positions, the locking unit can engage and prevent relative movement at any position along the movement path, making the locking mechanism adaptable to variable positions and orientations
3Reliability
If frictional force is increased to prevent relative movement at any position, then locking performance improves, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking unit combines multiple functions into a single integrated component. It simultaneously provides frictional contact with both body parts, acts as the locking element, and serves as the moving component controlled by the elastic member. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the overall mechanism while maintaining effective friction-based locking
Solution Approach 2:
The frictional force parameter is dynamically adjusted through the position and contact pressure of the locking unit. As the locking unit moves between different positions along the movement path, the contact force and resulting friction vary automatically, providing adaptive locking performance without requiring complex control mechanisms or multiple components
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 enhances the locking performance by ensuring relative movement is prevented through frictional force at any position, improving the operability of the surgical instrument and allowing for efficient switching between locking and unlocking states, thereby addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a locking unit capable of moving between the first body part and the second body part and simultaneously contacting the first body part and the second body part
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument includes a steering unit capable of articulation and a locking device connected to the steering unit and configured to lock or unlock at least any one of a pitch motion or a yaw motion of the steering unit, in which the locking device includes a first body part coupled to the steering unit, a second body part coupled to the steering unit and capable of moving relative to the first body part, and a locking unit capable of moving between the first body part and the second body part and simultaneously contacting the first body part and the second body part.