Surgical Instrument Power Unit With Single-Cable Sterile Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing actuating units for electromotively-operated surgical instruments require multiple cables to connect the sterile and non-sterile areas, posing risks of cable damage, creating a fall hazard, and causing technical issues with electromagnetic compatibility and signal transmission.
Innovation Solution
An actuating unit with a self-contained power supply and control monitoring device, integrated into a foot-operated or hand-operated switch unit, which eliminates the need for cables connecting the sterile and non-sterile areas by using a single cable for power and communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple cables are used to connect control and monitoring unit to motor system and foot switch, then power supply and control functions are achieved, but cable damage risk and fall hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate cable functions (power supply, data transmission, control signals) into a single integrated cable connection between the control and monitoring unit and the motor system. This merging eliminates the physical presence of multiple cables in the sterile area, thereby reducing cable damage risks and fall hazards while maintaining all necessary system functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control and monitoring unit is extracted from the motor system and positioned in a non-sterile area, connected via a single cable. This extraction removes the need for multiple cables running through the sterile area, reducing harmful factors while preserving system reliability through the unified connection.
2Ease of operation
If cables of length 1.5-5m are used for power supply and control connections, then connection flexibility is achieved, but electromagnetic compatibility problems and signal transmission issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges power supply and data transmission functions into a single shielded cable connection. This unified approach allows for optimized cable routing and shielding strategies that reduce electromagnetic interference while maintaining the necessary connection length and flexibility for surgical operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a shielded cable as an intermediary medium that facilitates electrical and data connections while protecting against electromagnetic interference. The shielding acts as a mediator that allows signal transmission over the required cable lengths without suffering from EMC problems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If control and monitoring unit is placed in non-sterile area connected via cables, then system functionality is maintained, but sterile area contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control and monitoring unit is extracted from the sterile area and positioned in a non-sterile area, connected via a single cable that minimizes the breach of sterile boundaries. This extraction maintains system functionality while reducing the risk of sterile area contamination by limiting the presence of non-sterile components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into sterile and non-sterile zones, with only essential connections (single cable) crossing the boundary. This segmentation allows the control unit to operate in a non-sterile environment while maintaining the integrity of the sterile surgical field.
Data Source
AI summary
An actuating unit for or of a surgical instrument operated by an electric motor and having a switch housing. The switch housing is separate and spaced apart from the surgical instrument and includes a frame, supports for supporting the switch housing on a substrate, at least one power supply unit for supplying power to at least one motor system of a surgical instrument connected to the actuating unit, a control and monitoring device designed to carry out and/or monitor at least one function, and a cable and/or a cable connection for connecting the cable for electrically coupling the actuating unit to a surgical instrument for operating the surgical instrument.