Multi-Positional Surgical Tool Grip for Flexible Hand Orientation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical tools often require precise usage at various angles and limited visibility, necessitating improved ergonomic designs that allow caregivers to comfortably and securely grasp the tools in different orientations during minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A multi-positional grip with a grip housing featuring grasping depressions and a user interface, allowing caregivers to hold the surgical tool in multiple orientations, enhancing comfort and security through customizable holding positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional single-position grip is used for a surgical tool, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the caregiver cannot comfortably grasp the tool in different orientations during procedures requiring various angles
Solution Approach 1:
The grip housing is segmented into multiple grasping depressions (first, second, and third depressions) positioned at different locations and orientations. Each depression provides a distinct grasping position, allowing the caregiver to select the appropriate grip orientation based on procedural requirements. This segmentation enables multi-positional gripping without requiring multiple separate tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip housing serves multiple functions by incorporating both the structural support for the surgical tool and the ergonomic grasping surfaces in various orientations. The same grip housing that provides structural integrity also contains multiple depressions that accommodate different hand positions, making it a multi-functional component that eliminates the need for separate ergonomic attachments.
2Ease of operation
If the grip housing includes multiple grasping depressions for different orientations, then ergonomic comfort and operational flexibility are improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple grasping depressions are merged into a single integrated grip housing structure rather than being separate components. This consolidation allows the complex ergonomic features to be manufactured as one piece using conventional molding or machining processes, reducing assembly steps and overall manufacturing complexity despite the increased surface feature complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the grip housing have different local qualities - each grasping depression is shaped and positioned to provide specific ergonomic characteristics for particular hand orientations. The first depression may be optimized for one-handed operation, the second for two-handed control, and the third for alternative orientations, with each location tailored to its specific functional requirement.
3Ease of operation
If the user interface is positioned on the grip housing, then operational inputs are easily accessible during use, but the grip structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The user interface elements (buttons, switches, or other operational inputs) are nested within or integrated into the grip housing structure itself. Rather than being separate control modules attached to the grip, the interface components are incorporated into the same housing that contains the grasping depressions, creating a nested arrangement where controls are embedded within the ergonomic structure.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A multi-positional grip (12) for a surgical tool (10) includes a grip housing (14A, 14C, 14D) extending along an axis (A) between a first end (16) and a second end (18). A bottom surface (20) at least partially defines a first grasping depression (22A, 22C, 22D) and a second grasping depression (24A, 24C, 24D) spaced from the first grasping depression (22A, 22C, 22D). A top surface (26) is spaced from the bottom surface (20) by a pair of side surfaces (28). The top surface (26) includes a user interface (30) located proximate to the first end (16) that includes at least one operational input. The grip housing (14A, 14C, 14D) is configured to provide a plurality of holding positions.