Surgical Stapler Cartridge Assembly with Elevated Cutting Portion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing surgical stapler design often fails to effectively separate staples from the staple strip body due to the cutting portion being at the same height or lower than the staple strip surface, leading to difficulty in firing and stapling.
Innovation Solution
A cartridge assembly design with a first gap formed between the staple strip body and the cartridge cover surface, where the cutting portion of the firing member is higher than the staple strip surface, facilitating easy separation and ejection of staples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the cutting portion is positioned at the same height or lower than the staple strip surface, then the structure is simpler, but the staple separation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical height dimension to resolve the contradiction. By positioning the cutting portion higher than the staple strip surface (creating a height difference), the cutting action is elevated to a new dimensional level that allows effective staple separation without complicating the overall structure. This dimensional change enables the cutting portion to clear the staple strip body and cleanly separate staples.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting portion is pre-positioned at a height above the staple strip surface before the firing action occurs. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the firing member moves distally, the cutting portion is already in the correct elevated position to effectively separate the staples from the staple strip body, making the separation operation smooth and reliable.
2Volume of moving object
If the inner surface of the cartridge cover abuts the staple strip body, then the structure is more compact, but the cutting portion cannot easily separate the staples
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cartridge cover structure by creating a first gap between the inner surface of the cartridge cover and the staple strip body. This segmentation separates the covering function from the cutting function, allowing the cutting portion to operate independently at a higher position while the cartridge cover maintains its protective and containing role, thus enabling both compactness and effective staple ejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The first gap acts as an intermediary space that mediates between the cartridge cover and the staple strip body. This gap allows the cutting portion to move freely and effectively separate staples without being constrained by direct contact between the cartridge cover and staple strip, facilitating smooth staple ejection while maintaining overall structural compactness.
Data Source
AI summary
A cartridge assembly and a surgical stapler are provided. The cartridge assembly includes: a staple strip including a staple strip body; a support member; a cartridge cover including a second surface arranged relative to the first surface of the staple strip body, wherein a first gap is formed between the first surface of the staple strip body and the second surface of the cartridge cover; a firing member including a cutting portion, wherein the highest point of the cutting portion is higher than the first surface of the staple strip body. By forming the first gap, the cutting portion of the firing member is higher than the first surface of the staple strip, which facilitates the cutting portion to separate the staples from the staple strip body.