Biased Blade Guide for Surgical Saw Skiving Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical saws experience undesirable skiving during initial cuts on non-flat hard tissue, such as at the ends of a femur, due to blade flexing, and using cutting guides increases procedure time and may still introduce skiving effects.
Innovation Solution
A robotic cutting system with a saw blade and a blade guide featuring a biasing device that passively biases the blade guide towards an extended position, retracting upon contact with the bone to prevent flexion, and a motor-operated saw blade for precise cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a cutting guide is used to hold the saw blade in place, then skiving is reduced, but the procedure time increases due to the need to secure the guide to the bone
Solution Approach 1:
The blade guide is pre-positioned in an extended state before bone contact, with the biasing device already configured to provide support. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need to secure a separate cutting guide to the bone during the procedure, reducing procedure time while maintaining cutting accuracy through the pre-configured support structure
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing device automatically activates upon contact with the bone surface, causing the blade guide to retract and engage the saw blade without requiring manual intervention or separate securing steps. The system self-regulates the blade guide position based on bone contact, eliminating the time-consuming process of securing external cutting guides while maintaining precise blade alignment
2Stability of the object's composition
If a cutting guide is used to hold the saw blade, then blade stability is improved, but longer blades are required which can still introduce skiving effects
Solution Approach 1:
The blade guide acts as an intermediary structure between the saw blade and the bone, providing localized support exactly where needed at the bone interface. This intermediate support structure stabilizes the blade during cutting without requiring the blade itself to be longer, as the stability is provided by the guide's engagement with the bone surface rather than by blade length
3Speed
If the saw blade is used without support on non-flat bone surfaces, then cutting speed is maintained, but skiving occurs due to blade flexing
Solution Approach 1:
The blade guide is designed with dynamic movement capability, allowing it to transition from an extended position before contact to a retracted position upon bone contact. This dynamic adjustment provides blade support exactly when and where needed during the cutting process, preventing skiving on non-flat surfaces while maintaining cutting speed through the automated engagement mechanism
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 system effectively limits skiving by maintaining the saw blade's alignment with the desired cutting plane, enhancing accuracy and reducing cutting time in surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
the blade guide comprising a biasing device configured to passively bias the blade guide towards an extended position
Implementation Method 2
a saw blade configured to attach to the housing... to operate the saw blade for cutting a bone
Data Source
AI summary
Surgical systems and methods involve a surgical cutting that includes a housing, a saw blade configured to attach to the housing, and a motor located in the housing to operate the saw blade for cutting a bone. A blade guide is coupled to the housing and includes at least one wall configured to slidably contact the saw blade to prevent flexion of the saw blade. The blade guide includes a biasing device configured to passively bias the blade guide towards an extended position. In response to contact between the blade guide and the bone, the blade guide is configured to passively retract away from the extended position and against the bias of the biasing device.