Prosthetic Acetabular Cup Inserter with Spheroidal Engaging Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prosthetic acetabular cup inserters and impactors struggle to securely engage cups with part-spherical inner bearing surfaces, as resilient radially outwardly expanding rings often contact the neck portion instead of the bearing surface due to their cylindrical or hemi-spherical shapes, leading to insufficient grip during minimal invasive surgery.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic acetabular cup inserter and impactor featuring a resilient cup engaging ring with a truncated shape, increasing in diameter from an inner end to a fullest transverse section and then decreasing, allowing it to engage the inner bearing surface without relying on the neck portion, and utilizing a cone element for radial biasing and compression to ensure secure contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cylindrical or hemi-spherical resilient rings are used to engage the cup, then the structure is simple, but the ring contacts the neck portion instead of the inner bearing surface, resulting in insufficient grip
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient ring is designed with a spheroidal outer surface that mirrors the part-spherical geometry of the cup's inner bearing surface. This curved configuration allows the ring to contact the bearing surface directly rather than the neck portion, providing secure engagement even when the neck is short. The spheroidal shape matches the contour of the bearing surface, ensuring proper grip during insertion.
2Force
If the ring is expanded radially outwardly to engage the cup, then engagement force is increased, but the ring may still contact the neck portion due to its shape
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient ring features a non-uniform cross-sectional shape with different radii of curvature at different locations. The outer surface has a radius of curvature that matches the bearing surface, while the inner surface has a different radius to accommodate the cup's geometry. This local variation in geometric properties ensures that when the ring is expanded radially, it contacts the bearing surface at the correct location rather than the neck portion.
3Length of moving object
If the cup has a short neck portion, then the cup design is more compact, but resilient rings cannot establish sufficient grip on the bearing surface
Solution Approach 1:
By designing the resilient ring with a spheroidal outer surface that mirrors the part-spherical geometry of the cup's inner bearing surface, the ring can establish secure grip directly on the bearing surface without relying on the neck portion for engagement. The curved configuration allows the ring to contact the bearing surface even when the neck is short, providing reliable engagement for compact cup designs.
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 shaped resilient ring effectively engages the inner bearing surface of cups with part-spherical shapes, providing a secure grip for proper insertion and handling during surgery, even when the neck portion is short, enhancing the reliability of the prosthetic acetabular cup insertion process.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient cup engaging ring disposed at a first end of said body and adapted to engage an inner surface of a cup with which it is used via outward biasing thereof
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a cone element for radial biasing and compression to ensure secure contact
Data Source
AI summary
A prosthetic acetabular cup inserter and impactor comprising a body, and a cup engaging element disposed at a first end of said body and adapted to engage an inner surface of a cup with which it is used via outward biasing thereof, in which said cup engaging element increases in cross-sectional area from an inner end thereof to a fullest transverse section, and decreases in cross-sectional area from said fullest transverse section to an outer end thereof.