Thoracoscopic Instrument Lockable Handle Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical instruments used in minimally invasive surgery often have narrow shaft portions with closely arranged moving parts, making them difficult to clean due to the close arrangement of these parts.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument design featuring a lockable mechanism that allows the handle members to be easily disassembled, enabling the shaft portions to rotate independently for cleaning, with ratchet surfaces for incremental positioning and a spring mechanism to retain the lock in a closed position, facilitating the assembly and disassembly of the instrument portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the shaft portion includes closely arranged moving parts to enable minimally invasive surgery, then the instrument can pass through small incisions, but the instrument becomes difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft portion is divided into multiple separable segments that can be detached from each other. This segmentation allows the narrow shaft structure to pass through small incisions while enabling easy separation of components for cleaning, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining a narrow profile and facilitating cleaning access.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft portion incorporates movable and detachable connections that allow dynamic reconfiguration. The shaft can be assembled into a compact narrow configuration for surgical procedures and dynamically disassembled into separate cleanable segments, addressing both the minimally invasive requirement and the cleaning accessibility need.
2Reliability
If the handle members are connected permanently to maintain instrument stability, then the instrument remains connected during use, but the instrument cannot be easily disassembled for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The handle members are divided into separable components connected by detachable mechanisms. During use, the connection maintains stability through engaged locking features. For cleaning, the same connection allows easy disassembly into separate segments, thus achieving both reliable connection during operation and ease of disassembly for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism between handle members is designed to be dynamically switchable between locked and unlocked states. The locking mechanism provides stable connection during surgical procedures while allowing controlled disassembly for cleaning, resolving the contradiction between permanent connection stability and ease of disassembly.
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 design enhances the ease of cleaning by allowing the shaft portions to be separated and rotated relative to each other, maintaining a narrow structure suitable for minimally invasive procedures while ensuring the instrument remains connected during use, thus addressing the challenge of cleaning complex moving parts.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member extending from an end of the lock opposite the hook that engages a slot in the first handle member
Implementation Method 2
the first handle portion has a first ratchet surface extending from an end of the handle portion and the second handle portion has a second ratchet surface extending from an end of the second handle portion
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments relate to a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a first handle member having a first handle portion and a first shaft portion; a first end member connected to the first handle member having a first instrument portion and a tab; a second end member connected to the tab of the first end member having a second instrument portion and a shaft portion; a second handle member connected to the shaft portion of the second end member; and a lock that releasably connects the second handle member to the shaft portion of the first handle member.