Awl Screw Fixation Members for Bone Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone screw insertion methods often lead to complications such as dislocation of small bone fragments, screw loss, misalignment, and labor-intensive pilot hole formation, resulting in suboptimal fixation and increased procedural time.
Innovation Solution
A bone implant assembly featuring a bone anchor with a distal tip configured to cut into bone, an unthreaded shaft portion, and an externally threaded head for secure engagement, allowing for rapid and precise insertion without the need for a pilot hole, using an awling motion or hammering force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bone screws are used with pilot hole formation, then screw fixation can be achieved, but the procedure becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The bone screw is designed with a self-drilling tip that performs the pilot hole formation action as a preliminary step during the actual screw insertion process, eliminating the need for separate pilot hole creation and reducing overall procedural time while maintaining fixation reliability
2Ease of operation
If axial pressure and insertion torque are applied during conventional screw insertion, then the screw can be driven into bone, but small bone fragments dislocate from the bone segment
Solution Approach 1:
The screw design features a threaded portion that engages with the bone to provide localized anchoring, while the unthreaded portion allows controlled insertion without transmitting excessive axial pressure to small bone fragments, thereby maintaining fragment stability during insertion operations
3Loss of time
If self-drilling and self-tapping screws are used, then pilot hole formation is eliminated, but bone milling occurs during rotational insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The screw is segmented into a self-drilling tip portion for hole creation and a threaded portion for engagement, allowing the insertion process to be divided into distinct phases that minimize bone milling while maintaining the time efficiency benefits of self-drilling design
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 solution enables faster and more secure bone screw fixation with reduced risk of dislocation and misalignment, improving procedural efficiency and stability of bone fragments.
Implementation Method 1
a distal tip configured to cut into the bone
Implementation Method 2
The proximal end of the bone anchor may define an exterior thread configured to engage a complementary thread of the implant in the aperture
Implementation Method 3
At least a portion of the shaft is unthreaded from the tip and along a portion of the intermediate portion toward the proximal end
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
Provided are fixation members (99f) useful in fixing an implant to a bone. The fixation members (99f) include an awl tip (104) so as to enable their secure installation by use of an awling motion, which in turn speeds the installation of the fixation members.