Surgical Suture Cutting Device with Deflection Loop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for cutting-to-length surgical suture material are inflexible and require a long construction length to accommodate varying thread lengths, leading to significant vibrations and inefficiencies in threading and cutting processes.
Innovation Solution
A device with a deflection installation that allows the surgical suture material to be angled and cut off at a secondary axis, eliminating the need for longitudinal displacement of the cutting unit and reducing the device's length to one-third of its previous size, enabling compact construction and precise adjustment of thread length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cutting unit is made displaceable in the longitudinal direction to accommodate varying thread lengths, then the device can handle dissimilar thread lengths, but the construction length becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a deflection installation that creates a secondary axis (transverse direction) perpendicular to the primary transport direction. The surgical suture material is deflected to run at an angle, forming an open loop that extends in the transverse dimension rather than requiring longitudinal displacement. This dimensional change allows the cutting unit to remain stationary while still accommodating varying thread lengths through the angled deflection path.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the free thread length is increased to accommodate maximum thread length, then all thread lengths can be processed, but significant vibrations arise that impede threading and cutting
Solution Approach 1:
By deflecting the surgical suture material to run at an angle through the open loop in the transverse direction, the patent reduces the longitudinal free thread length to only the minimum required. The angled deflection path allows the material to be guided efficiently without excessive slack, thereby minimizing vibrations while still enabling processing of various thread lengths through the deflection mechanism.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the device is designed with a long construction length to accommodate thread advancing gripper repositioning, then varying thread lengths can be handled, but the device becomes less compact and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection installation creates an open loop that extends in the transverse direction, allowing the thread advancing gripper to operate within a compact longitudinal space. The angled deflection path provides the necessary repositioning range without requiring a long construction length, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the ability to handle varying thread lengths.
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for cutting-to-length surgical suture material uses a thread spool having a continuous thread of the surgical suture material, a thread advancing gripper for drawing off a defined length of surgical suture material, and a cutting unit for cutting the surgical suture material. By way of a deflection installation, the surgical suture material is placeable so as to be angled to the primary transport direction in at least one open loop. The length of the open loop can be variably adjusted. The cutting unit is positioned between the thread spool and the deflection installation.