Reciprocating Surgical Tool Actuation With Balanced Rotary Guide Profiles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical tools lack a drive mechanism that efficiently converts rotary motion to reciprocating motion with improved balance and longevity, limiting their versatility and effectiveness in surgical operations.

Innovation Solution

A reciprocating assembly with a rotary coupling mechanism that includes a rotating body with opposing guide profiles, converting rotary motion to reciprocating motion through a reciprocating shaft, utilizing a wave disk or cylindrical body with guide channels and bearings to ensure balanced and extended service life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional rotary to reciprocating conversion mechanism is used, then the surgical tool can perform reciprocating motion, but the balance is poor and internal reaction forces are high, reducing service life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice lifeVSAvoidinternal reaction forces
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric guide profiles on the rotating body that are optimized to balance the reciprocating motion. The guide profiles are designed with specific geometric characteristics that counterbalance internal reaction forces during the reciprocating cycle, reducing harmful vibrations and improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The rotating body includes counterweight elements that offset the internal reaction forces generated during reciprocating motion. These counterweights are strategically positioned to create balancing forces that neutralize the harmful dynamic loads, thereby extending service life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a simple rotary coupling mechanism is used, then the device structure is simple, but the drive characteristics are insufficient for diverse surgical applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive characteristicsVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotating body with configurable guide profiles serves multiple functions: it converts rotary motion to reciprocating motion, provides motion control through profile geometry, and can be adapted for different surgical applications by modifying the guide profile characteristics. This multi-functionality enhances adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide profiles on the rotating body are designed to dynamically control the reciprocating motion characteristics. By varying the profile geometry, the system can adapt its drive characteristics to match different surgical tool requirements, providing versatility while maintaining a relatively simple structural framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If rotary motion conversion to reciprocating motion is implemented, then surgical operations can be performed, but balance is poor leading to reduced operational efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidbalance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The asymmetric guide profiles are specifically designed to improve balance during reciprocating motion. The profile geometry is optimized to distribute forces evenly throughout the cycle, reducing vibrations and improving operational efficiency by maintaining better balance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The rotating body incorporates pre-designed guide profiles that anticipate and compensate for balance issues before they occur during operation. The profiles are engineered in advance to counteract imbalances, ensuring smooth reciprocating motion and improved productivity without requiring active balancing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides improved drive characteristics, balance, and extended service life for surgical tools, enhancing their operational efficiency and user satisfaction by minimizing internal reaction forces.

Implementation Method 1

a rotation of the rotating body relative to the reciprocating shaft causes the opposing guide profiles to operably engage the reciprocating shaft causing the reciprocating shaft to extend responsive to the extension profile and retract responsive to the retraction profile

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical motion conversion:

Data Source

PatentEP4706563A1Actuation assembly for reciprocating surgical tool
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 ARTHREX INC
  • EP4706563A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4706563A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4706563A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An actuation assembly for a reciprocating surgical tool includes a reciprocating shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and a rotating body operably connected to the reciprocating shaft. The rotating body forms opposing guide profiles defining an extension profile and a retraction profile of the reciprocating shaft. A rotation of the rotating body relative to the reciprocating shaft causes the opposing guide profiles to operably engage the reciprocating shaft causing the reciprocating shaft to extend responsive to the extension profile and retract responsive to the retraction profile along the longitudinal axis.