Surgical Simulation Handle With Integrated Sensor Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical simulation systems for minimally-invasive procedures, such as laparoscopy, have complex mechanical and electrical designs with multiple cables, which are inefficient and fail to accurately mimic actual surgical instruments due to cable connections, leading to mechanical and electrical complexity.
Innovation Solution
A user interface device with a rigid shaft pivotably supported by a frame, a handle with a sensor body fixedly attached to the shaft, and a rotator sleeve providing linear displacement detection, eliminating the need for sensors in the grip portion and reducing cable stress, featuring a single signal interface and actuator placement on the frame for haptic feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors and signal interfaces are distributed throughout the device (as in VLI and LIE), then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cable requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor functions into a single integrated sensor body that detects rotation, linear displacement, and grip action. This merging eliminates the need for separate sensors in the grip portion and reduces the number of signal interfaces from multiple distributed interfaces to a single interface on the sensor body, directly reducing device complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it detects rotation of the shaft, measures linear displacement along the longitudinal axis, and senses grip action. This multi-functionality is achieved through a single integrated sensor unit, eliminating the need for separate specialized sensors for each function and reducing the overall number of components required.
2Ease of operation
If the signal interface is connected to the frame with a cord (as in VLI), then mobility is enabled, but cable wear and mechanical reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the signal interface from the moving handle assembly and relocates it to the stationary frame. By placing the signal interface on the frame rather than attaching it to the moving shaft or handle, the design eliminates cables connected to moving parts, thereby removing the source of cable wear while preserving mobility through the sensor body's detection capabilities.
3Device complexity
If the grip portion is fixedly attached to the shaft (as in LSW), then structural simplicity is improved, but adaptability for grip adjustment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rotatable sleeve that allows the grip portion to be adjusted relative to the shaft while maintaining a simple overall structure. The sleeve can rotate independently to change the grip position, providing dynamic adaptability without requiring complex mechanical assemblies. This dynamic element is integrated smoothly into the handle structure, maintaining simplicity while enabling adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
A user interface device for a surgical simulation system, comprising a rigid shaft pivotably supported by a frame, and movable in the axial direction but fixed with respect to rotation around its longitudinal axis, and a handle having a sensor body rigidly attached to said rigid shaft, and a grip portion rotatable around said longitudinal axis relative said sensor body. The handle further comprises a rotator sleeve rotatable around said longitudinal axis relative said sensor body and said grip portion, a rotation sensor adapted to detect rotation of said rotator sleeve in relation to said sensor body, and a signal interface mounted on said sensor body and connected to receive a first detection signal from said rotation sensor. Through this design, all sensor elements and electronic circuitry can be provided in or adjacent to the sensor body, leading to an efficient design and manufacturing.