Trocar Seal Housing Interface With Quick-Release Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical access devices face challenges in quickly and easily attaching and removing the seal housing from the trocar assembly during minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical access device with a trocar assembly and a release mechanism that allows for fast and efficient attachment and detachment of the seal housing assembly by using a release member with cam surfaces and a biasing member to transition between locked and unlocked positions, facilitated by guide members and slots for finger insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal housing is designed to be securely attached to the trocar assembly, then the connection reliability is improved, but the time required to attach and detach the seal housing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The release member is designed to be movable between a first position (locked state) and a second position (unlocked state), allowing the connection to transition from a secure locked state to a quick release state. This dynamic mechanism enables the seal housing to be firmly attached during surgery yet quickly detached when needed, resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and attachment/detachment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The release mechanism is divided into separate functional components: the release member with cam surfaces, the biasing member for automatic resetting, and the interaction elements between seal housing and trocar assembly. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, enabling quick actuation of the release mechanism while maintaining overall connection security.
2Productivity
If a release mechanism is added to enable quick detachment, then the attachment and detachment speed is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing member automatically returns the release member to its first (locked) position after detachment, without requiring additional manual intervention or complex control systems. This self-resetting feature simplifies the overall mechanism by eliminating the need for separate resetting actions or complex control logic, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining high attachment and detachment speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam surfaces act as intermediary elements that translate the simple linear movement of the release member into the rotational or lateral movement required to engage or disengage the seal housing from the trocar assembly. This intermediary mechanism allows quick detachment through a simple actuation motion while managing the complexity of the connection interface.
3Reliability
If the release member is positioned to engage with the seal housing, then the locking reliability is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cam surfaces are curved geometric features that provide mechanical advantage and guide the movement of the release member. The curved geometry allows the release member to smoothly transition between positions and ensures positive engagement with the seal housing, maintaining locking reliability while requiring only simple actuation force from the operator.
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
Enables quick and reliable attachment and detachment of the seal housing to the trocar assembly, enhancing operational efficiency in surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member, the release member movable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis between a locked position and an unlocked position
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical access device includes a trocar assembly and a seal housing assembly that is releasably coupled to the trocar assembly. The trocar assembly supports a release mechanism that facilitates attachment and detachment of the seal housing assembly to/from the trocar assembly in a fast and efficient manner.