Cutting Mechanism for Bone Fixation Device Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current internal bone fixation devices face challenges in smoothly and efficiently separating from introducers, requiring excessive force and potentially causing jagged edges, which complicates their use across various medical professionals.
Innovation Solution
A cutting device with a functional portion and control portion is designed to separate the internal bone fixation device from the introducer, featuring a cutting mechanism that slides along a housing to minimize force and ensure a smooth separation, utilizing an outer shaft and actuating mechanism to activate the cutting mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cutting device with a cutting mechanism is used to separate the internal bone fixation device from the introducer, then the separation edge becomes smooth and the required force is minimized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting mechanism is nested within the functional portion of the device, with the outer shaft surrounding and controlling the cutting mechanism. This nested structure allows the cutting function to be integrated into the existing device architecture without requiring a completely separate tool, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the smooth separation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer shaft acts as an intermediary component that controls and guides the cutting mechanism. By introducing this intermediate control element, the device can achieve precise cutting action with minimal force while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through clear functional separation between the outer shaft and cutting mechanism.
2Productivity
If excessive force is applied to separate the internal bone fixation device from the introducer, then the separation can be achieved, but the separation edge becomes jagged and the risk of tissue damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces a simple mechanical pulling or forcing action with a controlled cutting mechanism that uses a sharp blade to cleanly sever the connection. This substitution of the separation mechanism allows for efficient separation without excessive force, producing a smooth edge and minimizing tissue damage through precise cutting rather than brute force.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting mechanism changes the separation process from a force-intensive mechanical tearing action to a controlled cutting action with different force distribution characteristics. By altering the mechanism of separation from tensile force to cutting force, the device achieves efficient separation while maintaining edge quality and reducing harmful effects.
3Device complexity
If a simple separation method is used without a cutting mechanism, then the device complexity remains low, but the separation requires excessive force and may cause jagged edges
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting mechanism is designed to be dynamically activated only when needed for separation. The outer shaft controls the cutting mechanism, allowing it to remain compact and simple during insertion and deployment, then activate the cutting function only at the separation stage. This dynamic activation maintains low device complexity during most operations while providing the force-reducing cutting capability when required.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for separating an internal bone fixation device from an introducer are disclosed herein. A device for separating an internal bone fixation device from an introducer includes a functional portion having an outer shaft surrounding and controlling operation of a cutting mechanism; and a control portion having an actuating mechanism for initiating activation of the outer shaft.