Articulating Rotary Burr With Constant Velocity Joint Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical burrs have fixed positions that limit reach and stability, degrade quickly, produce excess vibration and noise, and are difficult to manufacture due to small size, making them ineffective for removing bone spurs in hard-to-reach areas during arthroscopic, endoscopic, and robotic surgeries.
Innovation Solution
A rotary cutting tool with an articulable cutting head and a multi-faceted ball forming a constant velocity joint, allowing for consistent rotational speed and stability, even when articulated, and featuring a controller assembly for selective articulation and a drive shaft for reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed-position surgical burrs are used, then the structure is simple, but the reachability to hard-to-reach areas is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting head is made articulable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation relative to the drive shaft. This enables the cutting head to reach hard-to-access areas while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through controlled articulation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical burr is divided into separable components including the drive shaft, articulation mechanism, and cutting head. This segmentation allows the cutting head to be positioned independently to reach difficult areas while keeping the main body structure simple and manageable.
2Reliability
If conventional surgical burrs are used, then the device is simple to manufacture, but stability and durability are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The constant velocity joint with multi-faceted ball ensures that the cutting head maintains stable rotational speed even when articulated, improving reliability. The dynamic articulation mechanism is designed to be manufacturable through standardized components and assembly processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-faceted ball acts as an intermediary element between the drive shaft and cutting head, transmitting rotational motion smoothly while accommodating articulation. This intermediary component enhances stability and can be manufactured using standard machining processes.
3Productivity
If conventional surgical burrs operate at high rotational speeds, then cutting efficiency is improved, but vibration and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The constant velocity joint with multi-faceted ball serves as a mediator that smooths the transmission of rotational motion, reducing vibrations and noise while maintaining high cutting speeds. This intermediary mechanism ensures efficient power transfer without excessive harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulation mechanism allows changes in the operational parameters of the cutting head, enabling optimized cutting speeds and angles that improve efficiency while controlling vibration and noise levels through geometric adjustments.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the cutting head is articulated to reach difficult areas, then adaptability is improved, but rotational speed stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-faceted ball in the constant velocity joint acts as an intermediary that maintains stable rotational speed transmission even when the cutting head is articulated. This ensures that adaptability through articulation does not compromise rotational speed stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The constant velocity joint is specifically designed to maintain dynamic rotational speed stability during articulation, allowing the cutting head to move while preserving consistent rotational motion for effective cutting performance.
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 tool provides stable, vibration-free, and efficient cutting or drilling at consistent speeds, enabling effective removal of bone spurs in challenging surgical environments, including arthroscopic, endoscopic, and robotic surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
the multi-faceted ball of the rotary cutting bit and drive shaft forming a constant velocity joint
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary cutting tool including an elongated housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongated housing extends circumferentially around a first axis. A drive shaft disposed within the elongated housing and extending between the proximal end and the distal end and rotatable about the first axis. A cutting bit housing coupled to the distal end of the elongated housing and rotatable relative to the drive shaft about an articulation axis between a non-articulated position and one or more articulated positions. A rotary cutting bit coupled to the cutting bit housing and the drive shaft and rotatable about the articulation axis with the cutting bit housing, the rotary cutting bit and drive shaft forming a constant velocity joint.