Sterile Surgical Tool Wireless Charging Battery Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical power tools face challenges in sterility, high acquisition and maintenance costs, and increased patient risk due to inadequate cleaning and sterilization, leading to infections and equipment downtime, while reusable instruments degrade in performance after reprocessing and require complex inventory management of batteries and charging systems.
Innovation Solution
A sterile, reusable medical procedure power tool with an integrated housing, pre-installed and pre-charged battery, and wireless charging capabilities, packaged in a sterile tray, reducing the need for separate battery management and simplifying maintenance protocols, and enabling efficient inventory control through a wireless communication system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If surgical instruments are reused and reprocessed, then acquisition costs are reduced, but sterility reliability deteriorates leading to infections and equipment downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable surgical instrument system where each instrument is packaged in a sterile, sealed container with a pre-charged battery. The instrument is intended for single use only, eliminating the need for reprocessing and sterilization while maintaining sterility reliability. After use, the entire assembly is discarded, preventing cross-contamination and infections.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument is pre-packaged in a sterile container with a pre-charged battery before delivery to the surgical suite. All necessary preparations including sterilization and battery charging are completed in advance during manufacturing, eliminating the need for on-site reprocessing and ensuring sterility reliability when the instrument is used.
2Quantity of substance
If surgical instruments are reused, then acquisition costs are reduced, but maintenance costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By making the instrument disposable, the patent eliminates all maintenance activities including cleaning, sterilization, battery recharging, and component replacement. The simplicity of the disposable design reduces maintenance complexity to zero while still allowing instrument reuse through the disposable nature of each unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is integrated into the instrument housing as a permanent component rather than a separate removable unit. This extraction of the battery from separate management simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for separate battery charging stations and inventory management, reducing maintenance complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate battery enclosures and charging systems are used, then battery management flexibility is improved, but device complexity and inventory management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is integrated directly into the instrument housing as a built-in component rather than a separate removable enclosure. This merging of the battery with the instrument eliminates the need for separate charging systems and battery management infrastructure, reducing device complexity while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument includes a pre-charged battery that is ready for use immediately upon opening the sterile package. The battery serves itself by being pre-charged during manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate charging operations and reducing inventory management complexity.
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
This solution minimizes costs and complexity by eliminating the need for separate battery enclosures and charging systems, ensuring tools are ready for use with enhanced sterility and reduced risk of infection, while improving performance and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
a battery housing portion including a battery
Implementation Method 2
wireless charging capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
A sterile reusable medical procedure power tool includes an integrated housing having a power and drive housing portion, a handle portion and a battery-housing portion including a battery. The sterile power tool is packaged in a sterile tray or equivalent sterile package including a compartment receiving the sterile power tool. A removable cover is sealingly attached to the sterile package.