Ultrasonic Jaw Electrode Layout to Prevent Short Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy treatment tools face challenges in efficiently applying ultrasound and high-frequency energy to treatment targets while maintaining operability and preventing electrical short circuits and deterioration of components.
Innovation Solution
The energy treatment tool features a jaw with a movable arm, a pad, and a pair of wiper jaws that rotate independently, allowing for effective gripping and application of energy without causing short circuits or component deterioration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a pad is fixed to the arm to grip the treatment target, then gripping force is improved, but electrical short circuit between the pad and blade occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The pad is divided into two separate attachment locations on the arm: one location for gripping the treatment target and another location for electrical connection. This segmentation prevents the pad from simultaneously contacting both the treatment target and the blade, eliminating the risk of electrical short circuit while maintaining effective gripping force through the distributed contact points.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm serves as an intermediary component between the pad and the blade. By positioning the pad on the arm rather than directly on the blade, the arm acts as an electrical insulator that prevents direct electrical contact between the conductive pad and the conductive blade, while still allowing mechanical force transmission for gripping.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the pad is made large to improve gripping, then gripping stability is improved, but the pad comes into strong contact with the blade causing deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The pad is segmented into multiple smaller contact regions distributed across the arm surface rather than one large continuous pad. This allows the pad to provide stable gripping through distributed contact points while reducing the total contact area with the blade, thereby minimizing wear and extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the pad have different properties: the region contacting the treatment target is designed for high friction and grip stability, while the region near the blade is minimized or designed with lower friction properties to reduce wear. This local differentiation allows the pad to provide stable gripping without suffering excessive deterioration from blade contact.
3Manufacturing precision
If the arm is made rigid to improve positioning precision, then positioning accuracy is improved, but operability and flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The arm is designed with controlled flexibility rather than complete rigidity. It has sufficient stiffness to maintain positioning accuracy during gripping operations, but enough flexibility to allow smooth opening and closing motions and to adapt to different treatment target sizes and shapes. This dynamic balance between rigidity and flexibility improves both positioning precision and operability.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm's mechanical properties are optimized by adjusting parameters such as material composition, cross-sectional geometry, and thickness distribution. These parameter changes allow the arm to exhibit different stiffness characteristics in different directions: high stiffness for positioning accuracy in the gripping direction, and lower stiffness for ease of operation in the opening/closing direction.
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 tool enhances operability and prevents short circuits, while maintaining component integrity, thereby improving treatment efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a blade configured to transmit ultrasound vibration
Implementation Method 2
a first electrode facing the first side of the pad and rotatable relative to the pad around the first pin, a second electrode facing the second side of the pad
Data Source
AI summary
An energy treatment tool includes: a blade configured to transmit ultrasound vibration, an arm movable relative to the blade between an open position and a closed position, the arm including a surface on a blade-side of the arm, a pad provided on the surface, the pad including a first side and a second side opposite to the first side in a width direction of the arm, a first pin connected to the arm and extending along the width direction, a first electrode facing the first side of the pad and rotatable relative to the pad around the first pin, a second electrode facing the second side of the pad.