Telescoping Surgical Instrument Shaft Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical instruments for dissecting bone or other tissue face issues with shaft instability due to insufficient stiffness and potential disengagement of threadably engaged components, especially when subjected to high-speed operation and dynamic loads, and telescoping attachments can interfere with the surgeon's line of sight and be difficult to adjust incrementally.
Innovation Solution
A surgical attachment instrument featuring a telescoping tubular member that can be adjusted and locked in repeatable increments, with a coupling and arcuate member to prevent disengagement and bearing assemblies for stabilizing the shaft, allowing incremental and repeatable adjustment without interfering with the surgeon's view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a telescoping tubular member is used to support the shaft, then the shaft stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular member is telescopable relative to the housing, allowing one component to be nested within another. This provides variable shaft support length while maintaining a compact overall structure, resolving the contradiction between stability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment structure transitions from a fixed configuration to a dynamic, adjustable configuration. The tubular member can be positioned at multiple discrete lengths and locked in place, providing adaptability for different surgical needs while maintaining structural integrity.
2Device complexity
If threadably engaged components are used in the attachment, then the structure is simplified, but disengagement occurs during operation due to vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The arcuate member is positioned to preemptively prevent disengagement of the coupling from the housing before vibration can cause loosening. This counteracts the harmful effect of vibration-induced disengagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The arcuate member acts as an intermediary component between the coupling and housing, providing additional engagement surfaces and preventing direct reliance on threadable connections alone to resist vibrational forces.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additional components are added to provide telescoping functionality, then the shaft support stability is improved, but the surgeon's line of sight is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The arcuate member is strategically positioned to provide necessary structural support and prevent disengagement only in the critical coupling region, while leaving the distal viewing path clear for the surgeon. This localized support approach maintains stability without obstructing the line of sight.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the tubular member is made stiffer to improve stability, then the shaft support is enhanced, but the adjustment mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular member incorporates a dynamic adjustment mechanism that allows it to transition between different extended positions. The indexing system with detents and springs provides discrete, repeatable positioning without requiring complex continuous control mechanisms, balancing stiffness requirements with adjustment simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical attachment instrument and method according to which a housing is adapted to be coupled to a motor. A tubular member is coupled to the housing so that an end of the tubular member extends from the housing at a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance may be selectively adjusted by a repeatable increment.