Surgical Device Plug Prong Mechanical Transition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Surgical devices often fail or become unsafe when used beyond their intended number of uses or duration, posing risks to patients and clinicians, while there is a financial incentive to maximize reuse due to rising medical procedure costs.

Innovation Solution

A surgical instrument with a plug featuring prongs that transition from a first radial dimension to a second, larger dimension upon reaching a predetermined usage threshold, preventing further energy delivery and ensuring safe disposal, utilizing smart materials and actuating assemblies for mechanical transitions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If surgical devices are designed for multiple uses to maximize reuse and reduce costs, then productivity and cost-effectiveness are improved, but reliability deteriorates as devices may fail when used beyond their intended lifespan

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice reuse rateVSAvoiddevice safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a usage counter that tracks the number of uses or usage time of the surgical device before it is actually needed. This preliminary tracking allows the system to proactively prevent further use once the predetermined limit is reached, eliminating the risk of post-limit failures while maintaining full utilization up to the safe limit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (usage counter with mechanical or electronic components) that mediates between the device's operational capacity and safety requirements. This intermediary tracks usage independently and actively prevents operation beyond the safe limit through mechanical blocking or electrical disconnection, resolving the contradiction between maximizing reuse and ensuring reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If surgical devices are designed with built-in usage limits to ensure safety, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional limiting mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice safetyVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the usage limiting function into separate, modular components (usage counter, mechanical blocking element, or electrical disconnect mechanism) that can be independently integrated into the device. This segmentation allows the safety function to be added without fundamentally redesigning the entire device structure, thereby limiting the increase in overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs relatively simple, cost-effective components for the usage limiting mechanism (such as mechanical counters or basic electrical switches) that are easier to manufacture and integrate than complex electronic control systems. This approach achieves the safety function with minimal added complexity, making the additional components worthwhile for the reliability they provide.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If surgical devices are made disposable to eliminate safety risks, then reliability is improved, but loss of substance increases due to single-use restriction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice safetyVSAvoiddevice waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the operational parameters of the surgical device by implementing a predetermined usage limit (either based on number of uses or usage time). This parameter-based control allows the same physical device to be used multiple times within safe boundaries, converting what would be a disposable device into a limited-reuse device, thereby reducing waste while maintaining safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a self-limiting mechanism where the device automatically tracks its own usage and prevents further operation when the limit is reached, without requiring external monitoring or intervention. This self-service approach ensures safety while maximizing the legitimate reuse of the device, reducing waste compared to fully disposable alternatives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 effectively limits the usage of surgical instruments to prevent device failure and ensure safety by mechanically inhibiting energy delivery once a predetermined threshold is reached, thereby enhancing patient and clinician safety and optimizing device lifespan.

Implementation Method 1

The prong(s) is constructed of a smart material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSmart material transition: Shape Memory Alloy

Data Source

PatentUS10603102B2Limited-use surgical devices

Publication Date: 2020.03.31 COVIDIEN LP

AI summary

A system includes an energy source and a surgical device. The energy source has a receptacle configured to delivery energy to the surgical device through a receptacle. The surgical device is configured to deliver the energy to tissue. The surgical device includes a plug selectively engagable to the receptacle to couple the surgical device to the energy source. The plug includes a prong configured to mechanically transition from a condition permitting engagement of the plug and the receptacle to another condition inhibiting engagement of the plug with the receptacle upon reaching a predetermined usage threshold.