Surgical Steering Gear Layout Without a Fourth Bevel Gear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments with steering gears require a complex arrangement of multiple bevel gears to ensure uniform force distribution and compact structure, which can be improved for more efficient space utilization and simplified engagement mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A steering gear design that eliminates the need for a fourth bevel gear by using a support yoke to ensure engagement between the steering ring and drive wheels, allowing for a more compact structure and efficient use of installation space, with optional one-sided arrangement of the support yoke and third gear wheel to further optimize space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fourth bevel gear is added to ensure uniform force distribution and compact structure, then the reliability and force distribution are improved, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the fourth bevel gear from the steering gear mechanism, extracting only the essential components needed for operation. The steering ring is directly mounted on the common axis of rotation of the two drive wheels, eliminating the need for the additional fourth gear while maintaining the core functionality of force distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The support yoke structure serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, ensures proper engagement between the steering ring and drive wheels, and maintains the geometric relationships necessary for uniform force distribution, replacing what would otherwise require additional specialized components.
2Volume of moving object
If multiple bevel gears are arranged in a compact configuration, then the space utilization is improved, but the ease of manufacture and assembly deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the fourth bevel gear, the patent reduces the total number of components that need to be manufactured and assembled, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining a compact overall structure through direct mounting of the steering ring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the mounting function directly into the support structure, where the steering ring is mounted directly on the common axis of rotation. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate assembly steps and simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
3Reliability
If the steering ring is guided by multiple gears, then the engagement reliability is improved, but the overall size of the steering gear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fourth gear from the system, reducing the overall size of the steering gear mechanism while maintaining engagement reliability through the direct mounting of the steering ring on the common axis of rotation, which ensures proper geometric relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using multiple gears to guide the steering ring, the patent inverts the approach by having the steering ring directly define the common axis of rotation for the drive wheels, thereby ensuring engagement reliability through geometric constraint rather than through additional guiding components.
Data Source
AI summary
A steering gear for a surgical instrument includes an angling mechanism which can be controlled by a spatially adjustable wobble plate. The steering gear has a first and a second drive wheel with a respective associated motor, and the second drive wheel is arranged offset by 180° relative to the first drive wheel on an axis of rotation in common with the first drive wheel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The wobble plate is mounted between the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel in a steering ring. A retaining bracket rotatably about the common axis of rotation of the drive wheels, wherein the steering ring is mounted in the retaining bracket an rotatable about the axis of rotation of the third gear wheel, such that the engagement between the third gear wheel and the drive wheels is secured.