Acetabular Drill Pin Flat-Bottom Tip Deflection Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional acetabular drill pins often deflect at acute angles during insertion, leading to inaccurate placement of the acetabular cup due to their design, resulting in variability in achieving the pre-operatively planned orientation.
Innovation Solution
An acetabular drill pin with an elongated shaft featuring a fluted portion, a flat-bottom milling tip, and depth markings, designed to securely engage the peri-acetabular area, preventing surface deflection and providing tactile feedback for precise placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a traditional trocar tip pin is used for acetabular cup positioning, then the insertion process is simple, but the pin deflects off the acetabular surface at acute angles, causing inaccurate placement
Solution Approach 1:
The pin tip geometry is changed from a trocar tip design to a flat-bottom milling tip design. This parameter change in the tip shape allows the pin to engage the acetabular surface perpendicularly rather than at an acute angle, preventing deflection and improving placement accuracy while maintaining straightforward insertion procedure
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on the pin to penetrate at an acute angle and hope for accurate placement, the design inverts the approach by creating a flat-bottom milling tip that engages the surface perpendicularly. This reversal of the insertion mechanics eliminates the deflection problem inherent in traditional trocar tip designs
2Manufacturing precision
If a flat-bottom milling tip is used instead of a trocar tip, then deflection is prevented and placement accuracy improves, but the pin design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The complexity is localized only to the tip region of the pin where the flat-bottom milling geometry is implemented. The shaft and other portions of the pin remain simple and straightforward. This localized application of complexity achieves the desired perpendicular engagement and accurate placement without making the entire device unnecessarily complex
3Measurement precision
If depth markings are added to the pin shaft, then precise insertion depth control is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Depth markings are added to the pin shaft using visual indicators such as colored bands or engraved lines at predetermined distances from the tip. These markings provide immediate visual feedback to the surgeon during insertion, enabling precise depth control without requiring complex measurement instruments or procedures. The markings can be applied through simple manufacturing processes like anodization, painting, or laser marking
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 acetabular drill pin ensures accurate and secure positioning of the acetabular cup by preventing deflection and allowing for precise alignment, reducing variability and improving the consistency of cup placement during hip procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a fluted portion being disposed between a shoulder and a flat-bottom milling tip, the flat-bottom milling tip being configured to penetrate a peri-acetabular area of a pelvis as the fluted portion is imparted with rotary motion
Data Source
AI summary
An acetabular drill pin comprising an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end opposite thereof along a longitudinal axis of the shaft; at least two depth markings along the shaft, each of the at least two depth markings being positioned a pre-defined distance from the distal end of the shaft; and a fluted portion proximate the distal end of the shaft, the fluted portion being disposed between a shoulder and a flat-bottom milling tip, the tip being configured to penetrate a peri-acetabular area of a pelvis as the fluted portion is imparted with rotary motion.