Wireless Surgical Foot Control with Perpendicular Actuators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless foot controls for surgical apparatuses face challenges in miniaturization, robustness, and preventing accidental actuation, especially when multiple functions are required without diverting the practitioner's attention from the main task.
Innovation Solution
A wireless control device with pivotally mounted actuators and a compact design, featuring a base with two or more modules for generating control signals, a transmitter, and a power source, where the actuators are arranged perpendicularly to minimize confusion and accidental activation, allowing for large actuator surfaces far enough apart for safe foot operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If wireless control device is miniaturized to reduce dimensions, then portability and ease of movement are improved, but the actuator surfaces become too close together causing risk of accidental actuation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by mounting actuators on perpendicular planes (one actuator on the top surface and another on the side surface of the base). This spatial arrangement allows the actuator effective surfaces to be positioned far apart in three-dimensional space, preventing simultaneous accidental actuation while maintaining a compact overall device footprint. The perpendicular mounting creates independent actuation zones that eliminate the risk of one foot triggering multiple actuators.
2Reliability
If multiple actuators are spaced far apart to prevent accidental actuation, then reliability is improved, but the device dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by utilizing three-dimensional spatial arrangement. Instead of placing multiple actuators on the same plane (which would require large spacing), the invention mounts actuators on perpendicular planes - one on the top surface and another on the side surface. This allows compact in-plane dimensions while maintaining large effective separation between actuator surfaces through vertical and lateral positioning, thus preventing accidental actuation without increasing overall device footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies nesting by integrating the actuators into the base structure itself, where the actuators are mounted on the base in a compact arrangement. The perpendicular mounting allows one actuator to be effectively nested in the spatial envelope created by the base geometry, maximizing space utilization while maintaining safe actuation distances.
3Reliability
If cable connections are used to ensure power supply, then power reliability is improved, but practitioner mobility is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable connection system with a wireless transmission system. The control device includes a transmitter that wirelessly transmits control signals to the surgical apparatus, eliminating the need for physical cable connections. This substitution maintains power and control signal transmission reliability while completely removing the mobility restrictions imposed by cables, allowing the practitioner to move freely during surgical procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless control device for controlling, with a human foot, an apparatus for multiple surgical functions. The device includes a base having small dimensions, at least two modules mounted on the base for generating specific control signals for each of the surgical functions, a transmitter for transmitting the control signals, a receiver receiving the control signals, a source of electricity for supplying the transmitter with electrical current, and two actuators, actuated by the human foot and pivotally mounted to act simultaneously on the corresponding module, the transmitter, and the source of electricity. The actuators are pivotally mounted around respective axes that are perpendicular to each other.