A skull orthopedic fixator made by a 3D printing process
The cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using 3D printing technology, with its groove structure and adjustable closure device, solves the problems of uneven shell thickness and insufficient strength in existing technologies, achieving a more stable, lightweight and breathable cranial orthopedic fixator design.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520391334.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-25
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-03-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing cranial orthopedic fixation devices suffer from problems during manufacturing, such as uneven shell thickness, large shape errors, insufficient structural strength, and easy detachment at the joints, which affect the effectiveness of use and patient comfort.
The cranial orthopedic fixator, manufactured using 3D printing technology, features grooved structures on the top of the front and rear shells to accommodate elastic bands. Combined with an adjustable closure device and a hollow design, it enhances connection stability and structural strength while reducing weight.
It improves the connection stability and structural strength of cranial orthopedic fixation devices, reduces product weight, enhances breathability and aesthetics, and adapts to different patient head shapes.
Smart Images
Figure CN224671675U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of medical device technology, and more specifically, to a cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using 3D printing technology. Background Technology
[0002] Cranial abnormalities (craniocranial malformations) can severely impact an infant's development. For example, plagiocephaly can cause facial asymmetry, asymmetrical ears, strabismus, and impair vestibular function, leading to lifelong poor balance. Flathead and brachycephaly can affect brain volume, causing developmental delays. Premature craniosynostosis can restrict brain development and have serious adverse effects on an infant's growth.
[0003] The best time to correct cranial deformities is within 18 months of birth. For babies with severe deformities, cranial fixation devices should be worn under the guidance of a professional doctor.
[0004] Similar products already on the market generally use pre-fabricated polymer sheets (polypropylene, polyethylene) that have been heated and softened before being vacuum-formed to create the shell of the cranial orthopedic fixator. After heating, the sheets naturally stretch and deform due to gravity, resulting in uneven shell thickness. At the same time, shrinkage stress is generated when the sheets cool and solidify, causing deformation of the shell structure and resulting in dimensional and shape errors.
[0005] Previous utility model orthotics for cranial deformities often used openings at the top of the head to enhance heat dissipation. Occasionally, due to the normal development of the parietal bone at the sagittal suture, it grows into the opening, forming an abnormal bulge appearance. At the same time, openings at the top of the head reduce the overall structural strength of the product. Therefore, the thickness of the product shell is generally increased to enhance structural strength. However, this leads to an increase in product weight and weakens heat dissipation.
[0006] At the same time, since cranial deformity correctors often use detachable front and rear connections, combined with the openwork design with holes on the top of the head, the entire cranial orthopedic fixator can easily fall off when the connectors at the front and rear connections come loose, which can easily damage the cranial orthopedic fixator. Utility Model Content
[0007] In view of this, the present invention proposes a cranioplasty fixation device manufactured by 3D printing technology, including a front shell 10 and a rear shell 20. The top of both the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 is provided with a groove structure 60 with an end opening. When the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are connected by a connecting structure 80, the openings of the groove structures 60 at the top of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are connected to accommodate a rubber band, thereby enhancing the stability of the connection between the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20. At the same time, even if the connecting structure 80 fails, the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 can still prevent themselves from completely detaching from the patient's skull through the cooperation of the groove structure 60 and the rubber band. In addition, the sealing of the top of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 can prevent the skull from growing out and can strengthen the structural strength of the entire cranioplasty fixation device, thereby allowing the wall thickness of the cranioplasty fixation device to be thinner and the weight to be reduced.
[0008] A cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using 3D printing technology includes a front shell 10 and a rear shell 20. The front shell 10 is used to conform to the forehead region of the patient's skull, and the rear shell 20 is used to conform to the occipital region of the patient's skull. The front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are detachably connected to form a receiving cavity for correcting the patient's skull. The feature is that both the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 have a groove structure 60 with an end opening at their tops. When the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are connected by a connecting structure 80, the front shell 10... The groove structure 60 at the top of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 is connected to the opening for placing an elastic band, thereby strengthening the stability of the connection between the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20. At the same time, it can prevent the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 from completely detaching from the patient's skull by cooperating with the elastic band through the groove structure 60 after the connection structure 80 fails. Meanwhile, the top sealing of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 can prevent the skull from growing out and can strengthen the structural strength of the entire cranial orthopedic fixator, thereby allowing the wall thickness of the cranial orthopedic fixator to be thinner and the weight reduced.
[0009] In some embodiments, the ends of the groove structure 60 at the top of the front housing 10 and the rear housing 20 are provided with tenon and mortise structures 70 to further increase the structural strength and eliminate the displacement of the front and rear sides of the front housing 10 and the rear housing 20.
[0010] Furthermore, one end of the groove structure 60 extends outward to provide a guide groove 61 for the elastic band, which facilitates the insertion of the elastic band. The other end of the groove structure 60 extends inward to form a locking groove 62 for the elastic band, which prevents the elastic band from falling off after being inserted.
[0011] Furthermore, both the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are integrally printed using 3D printing equipment. The 3D printed product shell has a uniform thickness, and the product is designed in three dimensions according to the patient's head three-dimensional scan data and medical orders, making it more suitable for the patient.
[0012] In some embodiments, the connecting structure 80 is an adjustable closing device, which consists of multiple equidistant cylinders 81 and buckles 82 fused to the housing. The buckles 82 are matched and snapped into the corresponding cylinders 81. The cylinders 81 are used to adjust the position of the buckles 82 to adjust the locking force of the front housing 10 and the rear housing 20, which can eliminate the displacement of the front housing 10 and the rear housing 20 at the closing point, resulting in higher overall structural strength. Compared with the traditional process, which mostly uses nylon hook and loop fasteners for closing, nylon hook and loop fasteners are soft fabrics, resulting in lower overall structural strength of the closed product and easy displacement at the closing point.
[0013] Furthermore, one end of the buckle 82 is provided with a locking hook 821, and the other end is provided with a tail hook 822. The tail hook 822 is used to engage one of the cylinders 81 to position the buckle 82 in its initial position. The locking hook 821 is used to engage the other cylinder 81 to adjust the locking force of the front housing 10 and the rear housing 20. The locking hook 821 bends inward to make the locking hook 821 and the cylinder 81 it engages with more securely.
[0014] Furthermore, a handle surface 823 is provided at the connection between the locking hook 821 and the body of the buckle 82, which facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the locking hook 821.
[0015] In some embodiments, the inner walls of the front housing 10 and the rear housing 20 are provided with removable inner liners 50, and the inner liners 50 are covered with first through holes 51, which are circular. The front housing 10 near the forehead of the patient's head and the rear housing 20 near the occipital bone of the patient's head are provided with second through holes 30. The area of the second through holes 30 is larger than the area of the first through holes 51 to prevent the first through holes 51 from being blocked and to improve breathability.
[0016] Furthermore, the inner lining 50 uses CNC engraving technology to process the first through holes 51 with a spacing of 2-4mm and a diameter of 2-3mm on the material, which reduces the weight of the product while increasing the breathability and aesthetics of the board.
[0017] Furthermore, the second through hole 30 is a strip-shaped hole.
[0018] Furthermore, the second through holes 30 are arranged in groups of three or more to form a triangular support structure, which is more stable.
[0019] In some embodiments, the front shell 10 and the rear shell are provided with a hollow structure 40 near the position of the patient's parietal bone. Since the parietal bone is a single piece and does not grow upward, the hollow structure 40 here can reduce weight and allow for air permeability.
[0020] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This utility model proposes a cranioplasty fixation device manufactured by 3D printing technology, including a front shell 10 and a rear shell 20. The top of both the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 is provided with a groove structure 60 with an end opening. When the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are connected by a connecting structure 80, the openings of the groove structures 60 at the top of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are connected to place an elastic band, thereby enhancing the stability of the connection between the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20. At the same time, even if the connecting structure 80 fails, the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 can still prevent themselves from completely detaching from the patient's skull through the cooperation of the groove structure 60 and the elastic band. In addition, the sealing of the top of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 can prevent the skull from growing out and can strengthen the structural strength of the entire cranioplasty fixation device, thereby allowing the wall thickness of the cranioplasty fixation device to be thinner and the weight to be reduced. Attached Figure Description
[0021] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using the 3D printing process of this utility model.
[0022] Figure 2 A perspective view of the front shell of the cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using the 3D printing process of this utility model.
[0023] Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the posterior shell of the cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using the 3D printing process of this utility model.
[0024] Figure 4 A three-dimensional view of the connection structure of the cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using the 3D printing process of this utility model.
[0025] Figure 5 A three-dimensional view of the hollow structure of the cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using the 3D printing process of this utility model.
[0026] Explanation of main component symbols
[0027] Front housing 10; rear housing 20; second through hole 30; hollow structure 40; inner lining 50; first through hole 51; groove structure 60; guide groove 61; slot 62; tenon and mortise structure 70; connecting structure 80; cylinder 81; plate buckle 82; lock hook 821; tail hook 822; handle face 823.
[0028] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate this utility model. Detailed Implementation Example
[0029] like Figure 1-3 As shown, a cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using 3D printing technology includes a front shell 10 and a rear shell 20. The front shell 10 is used to fit the forehead of the patient's skull, and the rear shell 20 is used to fit the occipital bone of the patient's skull. The front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are detachably connected to form a receiving cavity for correcting the patient's skull. Both the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 have a groove structure 60 with an end opening at their tops. When the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are connected by a connecting structure 80, the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20... The opening of the groove structure 60 at the top of the shell 20 is connected to place an elastic band, thereby enhancing the stability of the connection between the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20. At the same time, it prevents the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 from completely detaching from the patient's skull by cooperating with the elastic band through the groove structure 60 after the connection structure 80 fails. Meanwhile, the top sealing of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 can prevent the skull from growing out and can strengthen the structural strength of the entire cranial orthopedic fixator, thereby allowing the wall thickness of the cranial orthopedic fixator to be thinner and the weight reduced.
[0030] The ends of the groove structure 60 at the top of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are provided with tenon and mortise structures 70 to further increase the structural strength and eliminate the displacement of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20. One end of the groove structure 60 extends outward to provide a guide groove 61 for the elastic band, which facilitates the insertion of the elastic band. The other end of the groove structure 60 extends inward to form a groove 62 for the elastic band, which prevents the elastic band from falling off after being inserted.
[0031] Both the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are integrally printed using 3D printing equipment. The 3D printed product shell has a uniform thickness, and the product is designed in three dimensions according to the patient's head three-dimensional scan data and medical orders, making it more suitable for the patient.
[0032] The inner walls of both the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are provided with removable inner liners 50. The inner liners 50 are covered with first through holes 51, which are circular. The front shell 10 near the forehead of the patient's head and the rear shell 20 near the occipital bone of the patient's head are provided with second through holes 30. The area of the second through holes 30 is larger than that of the first through holes 51 to prevent the first through holes 51 from being blocked and to improve breathability. The inner liners 50 are machined with first through holes 51 with a spacing of 2-4 mm and a diameter of 2-3 mm using CNC engraving technology, which reduces the weight of the product while increasing the breathability and aesthetics of the board. The second through holes 30 are strip-shaped holes, and the second through holes 30 are grouped in groups of three or more to form a triangular support structure, which is more stable.
[0033] like Figure 2-4 As shown, the connecting structure 80 is an adjustable closing device, which consists of multiple equidistant cylinders 81 and buckles 82 fused into the shell. The buckles 82 are matched and snapped into the corresponding cylinders 81. The cylinders 81 are used to adjust the position of the buckles 82 to adjust the locking force of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20, which can eliminate the displacement of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 at the closing point, making the overall structural strength higher. Compared with the traditional process, which mostly uses nylon hook and loop fasteners for closing, nylon hook and loop fasteners are soft fabrics, and the overall structural strength of the closed product is relatively low, and displacement is easy to occur at the closing point.
[0034] One end of the buckle 82 is provided with a locking hook 821, and the other end is provided with a tail hook 822. The tail hook 822 is used to engage one of the cylinders 81 to position the buckle 82 in its initial position. The locking hook 821 is used to engage the other cylinder 81 to adjust the locking force of the front housing 10 and the rear housing 20. The locking hook 821 bends inward to make the locking hook 821 and the cylinder 81 it engages with more securely. The connection between the locking hook 821 and the body of the buckle 82 is provided with a handle surface 823 to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the locking hook 821.
[0035] like Figure 5 As shown, the front shell 10 and the rear shell are provided with a hollow structure 40 near the patient's parietal bone. Since the parietal bone is a single piece and does not grow upward, the hollow structure 40 here can reduce weight and allow for air permeability.
[0036] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This utility model proposes a cranioplasty fixation device manufactured by 3D printing technology, including a front shell 10 and a rear shell 20. The top of both the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 is provided with a groove structure 60 with an end opening. When the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are connected by a connecting structure 80, the openings of the groove structures 60 at the top of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 are connected to place an elastic band, thereby enhancing the stability of the connection between the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20. At the same time, even if the connecting structure 80 fails, the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 can still prevent themselves from completely detaching from the patient's skull through the cooperation of the groove structure 60 and the elastic band. In addition, the sealing of the top of the front shell 10 and the rear shell 20 can prevent the skull from growing out and can strengthen the structural strength of the entire cranioplasty fixation device, thereby allowing the wall thickness of the cranioplasty fixation device to be thinner and the weight to be reduced.
[0037] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using 3D printing technology, comprising a front shell (10) and a rear shell (20), wherein the front shell (10) is used to conform to the forehead region of a patient's skull, and the rear shell (20) is used to conform to the occipital region of a patient's skull, and the front shell (10) and the rear shell (20) are detachably connected to form a receiving cavity for correcting the patient's skull, characterized in that: The front housing (10) and the rear housing (20) are both provided with a groove structure (60) with an end opening at the top. When the front housing (10) and the rear housing (20) are connected by a connecting structure (80), the openings of the groove structure (60) at the top of the front housing (10) and the rear housing (20) are connected and used to place the rubber band.
2. The cranial orthopedic fixator manufactured using the 3D printing process as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The ends of the groove structure (60) at the top of the front housing (10) and the rear housing (20) are provided with mortise and tenon structures (70).
3. The cranial orthopedic fixator fabricated using the 3D printing process as described in claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the groove structure (60) extends outward to form a guide groove (61) for the elastic band, and the other end of the groove structure (60) extends inward to form a slot (62) for the elastic band.
4. The cranial orthopedic fixator fabricated using the 3D printing process as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The front shell (10) and the rear shell (20) are both integrally printed by a 3D printing device.
5. The cranial orthopedic fixator fabricated using the 3D printing process as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The connection structure (80) is an adjustable closing device, which consists of multiple equidistant cylinders (81) and a buckle (82) fused into the housing. The buckle (82) matches and engages with the corresponding cylinder (81). The cylinder (81) is used to adjust the position of the buckle (82) to adjust the locking force of the front housing (10) and the rear housing (20).
6. The cranial orthopedic fixator fabricated using the 3D printing process as described in claim 5, characterized in that: One end of the buckle (82) is provided with a locking hook (821) and the other end is provided with a tail hook (822). The tail hook (822) is used to engage one of the cylinders (81) to position the buckle (82) in its initial position. The locking hook (821) is used to engage the other cylinder (81) to adjust the locking force of the front shell (10) and the rear shell (20). The locking hook (821) bends inward to make the locking hook (821) and the cylinder (81) it engages with more securely.
7. The cranial orthopedic fixator fabricated using the 3D printing process as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The connection between the lock hook (821) and the body of the plate buckle (82) is provided with a handle surface (823) to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the lock hook (821).
8. The cranial orthopedic fixator fabricated using the 3D printing process as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The inner walls of the front shell (10) and the rear shell (20) are provided with removable inner linings (50). The inner linings (50) are covered with first through holes (51). The first through holes (51) are circular. The front shell (10) near the forehead of the patient's head and the rear shell (20) near the occipital bone of the patient's head are provided with second through holes (30). The area of the second through hole (30) is larger than the area of the first through hole (51) to prevent the first through hole (51) from being blocked.
9. The cranial orthopedic fixator fabricated using the 3D printing process as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The second through hole (30) is arranged in groups of three or more to form a triangular support structure, which is more stable.
10. The cranial orthopedic fixator fabricated using the 3D printing process as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The front shell (10) and the rear shell are provided with a hollow structure (40) near the patient's parietal bone.