Ultrasonic Surgical Instrument Axisymmetric Clamping Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic surgical instruments face challenges in achieving precise clamping and articulation, particularly in maintaining engagement with the clamp arm during various clocked positions, which can complicate the design and reduce precision in tissue manipulation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a clamp arm closure assembly that translates to drive the clamp arm between open and closed positions, remaining operatively engaged without rotating with the clamp arm, and a clamp arm clocking assembly that rotates the clamp arm about the axis defined by the ultrasonic blade, allowing for precise positioning and simplifying the mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the clamp arm closure assembly rotates with the clamp arm during clocking, then it maintains continuous engagement, but the mechanism becomes more complex and precision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp arm closure assembly is separated from the clamp arm rotation, with the closure assembly remaining stationary while the clamp arm rotates independently. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function without unnecessary complexity - the closure assembly simply translates to open/close the clamp, while the clamp arm rotates to achieve different clocked positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the engagement maintenance from a rotational dimension to a translational dimension. Instead of maintaining engagement through rotation (which would require complex mechanisms), the closure assembly maintains engagement through its translational motion along a linear path that intersects the rotational path of the clamp arm.
2Device complexity
If the clamp arm closure assembly translates linearly without rotating, then mechanical complexity is reduced, but maintaining engagement during clocking becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp arm closure assembly is positioned and oriented in advance so that its linear translational path is pre-aligned to intersect with the rotational path of the clamp arm. This preliminary positioning ensures that as the clamp arm rotates to different clocked positions, the closure assembly can maintain engagement through its predetermined linear motion without requiring complex adaptive mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If the clamp arm is rotated to multiple clocked positions, then tissue manipulation precision is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation of the clamp arm to achieve multiple clocked positions is combined with the independent translational motion of the closure assembly. By merging these two independent motions (clamp arm rotation and closure assembly translation), the system achieves precise positioning at multiple clocked positions without requiring a complex mechanism that couples rotation and translation.
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 configuration enhances precision in clamping and reduces mechanical complexity, enabling more precise tissue manipulation and maintaining effective engagement with the ultrasonic blade across various clocked positions.
Implementation Method 1
an end effector having a blade element that vibrates at ultrasonic frequencies to cut and/or seal tissue (e.g., by denaturing proteins in tissue cells)
Implementation Method 2
These instruments include one or more piezoelectric elements that convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument includes an end effector, and a shaft assembly. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade, a rotating body, and a clamp arm movable between an open and a closed position. The shaft assembly extends along an axis and includes clamp arm clocking assembly and a clamp arm pivot assembly. The clamp arm clocking assembly can drive the rotating body and the clamp arm between a first clocked position and a second clocked position. The clamp arm pivot assembly includes an actuator body defining a track, where the actuator body can actuate to drive the clamp arm between the open position and the closed position while the actuator body is in a rotational position relative to the ultrasonic blade. The track houses a portion of the clamp arm in the first clocked position and the second clocked position while the actuator body is in the rotational position.