Angled Orthopaedic Driver with Interchangeable Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing angled orthopaedic drivers have non-adjustable U-joints and H-joints that restrict the easy alteration of the angling of the driven instrument relative to the drivetrain, necessitating the use of pre-configured drivers or undesired angling during surgery.
Innovation Solution
An orthopaedic driver design featuring a drivetrain with an instrument connector and an angling bushing that interacts with a housing, allowing for easy adjustment of the instrument's angle by swapping out different housings with varying angled portions, enabling a wide range of angling options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If U-joints and H-joints with beveling are used to enable angling of the instrument, then the instrument can be angled relative to the drivetrain, but the angling becomes fixed and not easily adjustable during surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a straight portion and an angled portion that can be separated from the drivetrain. The angled portion is further segmented into multiple interchangeable housings with different angling configurations. This segmentation allows the angled portion to be easily swapped out during surgery to change the instrument angle without affecting the drivetrain structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The drivetrain is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate multiple different angled housings. The straight portion of the housing serves as a universal mounting structure that can hold various angled portions with different angling configurations, making the drivetrain adaptable to multiple surgical requirements with a single base unit.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pre-configured drivers with different angling are used to provide angling options, then various surgical angles can be achieved, but the number of devices and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single drivetrain with a universal mounting interface can accommodate multiple interchangeable angled housings. Instead of requiring multiple complete pre-configured drivers, the surgeon can use one drivetrain with different angled housings swapped as needed, reducing the total number of devices from multiple complete drivers to just one drivetrain plus several housing attachments.
Solution Approach 2:
The driver system is segmented into a permanent drivetrain component and interchangeable housing components. The angled portion is separated as a distinct replaceable element, allowing the surgeon to keep the main drivetrain and only swap the housing portion when angle changes are needed, rather than replacing entire driver assemblies.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the angled portion is fixed to the drivetrain to maintain stable angling, then the angle remains consistent, but quick adjustment between different angles becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a stable straight portion that remains fixed to the drivetrain and an interchangeable angled portion that can be quickly swapped. The straight portion provides a stable mounting base with consistent positioning features, while the angled portion can be changed by simply detaching and reattaching the housing, maintaining both stability and ease of adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing connection system transitions from a fixed rigid structure to a dynamic interchangeable structure. The straight portion maintains a fixed stable connection to the drivetrain, while the angled portion is designed with quick-release or tool-free attachment mechanisms that allow dynamic reconfiguration during surgery without requiring complex tools or procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic driver includes a drivetrain having a driven end and a second end opposite the driven end, the drivetrain defining a first axis; an instrument connector rotatably coupled to the second end of the drivetrain and defining a second axis angled relative to the first axis; an angling bushing associated with the instrument connector; and a housing having a straight portion covering at least a portion of the drivetrain and an angled portion connected to the straight portion, the angled portion interacting with the angling bushing to hold the instrument connector angled relative to the drivetrain.