Bone Anchor Reinforcement Sleeve for Stable Extended Tab Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive spinal procedures face challenges with bone anchors due to instability at the proximal end of extended tabs, leading to unwanted separation and difficulty in manipulating the extensions during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A sleeve assembly is designed to couple with the bone anchor, featuring a translating lock and actuator that secures to the anchor head, allowing force transfer without unintended separation of the extended tabs, using spring hooks and a locking mechanism to stabilize the connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If extended tabs are made longer to extend outside the cavity for manipulation, then ease of operation is improved, but stability of the extended tabs deteriorates leading to unwanted separation
Solution Approach 1:
A sleeve assembly is introduced as an intermediary component between the extended tabs and the external manipulation tools. The sleeve receives the extended tabs and provides a stable interface for force transfer, allowing manipulation without directly loading the unstable proximal end of the tabs. This mediator prevents unwanted separation while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the interaction point from the problematic one-dimensional line of the extended tab to a two-dimensional surface provided by the sleeve. The sleeve's internal surface area allows for distributed force application, stabilizing the connection between the extended tabs and manipulation tools without requiring the tabs themselves to be more stable.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the extended tabs are made more rigid to prevent separation, then stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased difficulty in manipulating the extensions
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the extended tabs for connection, the sleeve for stabilization and force transfer, and the actuator for controlled manipulation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the tabs can remain flexible for easy manipulation while the sleeve provides the necessary stability.
3Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to secure the sleeve to the anchor head, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through spring-loaded hooks that automatically engage with the anchor head channel when the sleeve is properly positioned. The spring force provides automatic locking without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems, achieving high reliability with minimal added complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C
AI summary
A sleeve can be adapted to reinforce a bone anchor, and can include a body, a lock, and an actuator. The body can include a first sleeve arm and a second sleeve arm, where each can extend longitudinally along opposing sides of a longitudinal bore open at a distal end of the sleeve. The lock can be coupled to the body and releasably securable to a channel of a head of the bone anchor to secure the sleeve to the anchor.