Adjustable Implant Threaded Actuation Spacing Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthopedic implants lack the ability to adjust both spacing and relative angle between tissue contact surfaces effectively, limiting their versatility in applications such as intervertebral fusion, lordotic correction, and scoliosis correction.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable implant design featuring a base with an internally threaded track, a displaceable element, and pivotally connected linkages, allowing for controlled adjustment of spacing and angle through a threaded actuation mechanism, enabling independent displacement of pivot locations to modify contact surface alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing orthopedic implants are used, then the implant structure is simple, but the ability to adjust spacing and relative angle between tissue contact surfaces is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The implant incorporates a displaceable element that can be positioned at multiple locations along the base, and linkages that can be adjusted to different configurations. This dynamic adjustability allows the implant to adapt spacing and angle between contact surfaces while maintaining structural integrity through the threaded track system that constrains movement to predetermined paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is divided into distinct functional segments: a base with threaded tracks, a displaceable element, and linkages with pivot points. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each component's position and orientation, enabling versatile adaptation while keeping each individual component relatively simple in design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable mechanisms are added to implants, then versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The linkage acts as an intermediary mechanism between the displaceable element and the contact surfaces. It translates the displacement of the element along the threaded track into controlled adjustments of spacing and angle. This intermediary component simplifies the overall adjustment mechanism by providing a mechanical advantage and constraining motion to the desired degrees of freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant utilizes threaded tracks with specific pitch and orientation to convert rotational movement into linear displacement. By changing the parameters of the threaded engagement (thread pitch, direction, and orientation), the system achieves precise control over spacing and angle adjustments without requiring complex actuation mechanisms.
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
Enables precise adjustment of spacing and angle between tissue contact surfaces, enhancing the implant's versatility for various orthopedic applications, including intervertebral fusion, lordotic correction, and scoliosis correction, by allowing controlled restoration of intervertebral space and correction of spinal deformities in a single procedure.
Implementation Method 1
the base comprises an internally threaded track, and wherein the linkage mover comprises a threaded segment engaged with the internally threaded track such that rotation of the threaded segment about a central axis of the threaded segment advances the linkage mover along the threaded track
Implementation Method 2
the linkage mover further comprises an annular groove circumscribing the central axis, and wherein the linkage comprises a pivot pin engaged in the annular groove so as to at least partially define the displaceable pivot location
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable implant (10, 60, 70, 80, 90) has a base (12) and a displaceable element (16) providing opposing tissue contact surfaces (14, 18). A linkage (20, 26) is pivotally connected to the displaceable element. A linkage mover (38, 40), engaged so as to be displaceable along the base, is associated with the linkage (20, 26) so as to define a displaceable pivot location (24, 30) for pivotal motion of the linkage relative to the base, in certain preferred embodiments, the base (12) has an internally threaded track (42, 44) in which a threaded segment of the linkage mover (38, 40) is engaged, so that rotation of the threaded segment about its central axis advances the linkage mover along the threaded track, thereby displacing the displaceable pivot locations and adjusting a separation between the first contact surface and at least part of the second contact surface.