External Bone Fixation Pin Assembly with Rotatable Collet Clamp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current external fixation devices are complex, bulky, and difficult to use, with limited rotational ability for pin placement, making them challenging for both practitioners and patients, especially in treating foot and ankle injuries where multiple pin placements are required.
Innovation Solution
An external bone pin assembly featuring a fracture fusion tube with a slidably engaged bracket and a collet clamp containing a rotatable perforated ball, secured by a single screw, allowing for multiple axes of rotation and adjustable pin placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current external fixation devices use ring or halo members with multiple pins for bone fixation, then bone fixation reliability is improved, but device complexity and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation device is divided into separate functional modules: a halo member for bone fixation, a separate pin assembly with collet clamp for pin insertion and adjustment, and a bracket for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin insertion and adjustment mechanism is extracted as a separate, removable pin assembly that can be independently operated from the halo member. This extraction allows the pin assembly to be simplified and made more adjustable without increasing the complexity of the main halo structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If current external fixation devices use multiple components for pin placement and fixation, then fixation stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The collet clamp combines multiple functions into a single component: it holds the pin, allows rotational adjustment around the pin axis, and provides a mechanism for securing the pin to the bracket. This merging reduces the number of separate operations needed while maintaining fixation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin assembly is designed to be dynamically adjustable during surgery, allowing the pin to be rotated to different angular positions and secured at different locations along the bone. This dynamic adjustability simplifies the surgical procedure while maintaining stable fixation once positioned.
3Device complexity
If current external fixation devices limit rotational ability for pin placement, then device simplicity is maintained, but adaptability for different bone positions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pin assembly incorporates rotational capability that allows dynamic adjustment of the pin angle during the surgical procedure. The collet clamp can be rotated relative to the bracket, enabling adaptation to different bone positions and orientations without requiring multiple pre-configured components.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin assembly is designed as a universal component that can accommodate various pin positions and angles through its rotational mechanism. This multi-functional design allows a single pin assembly to serve multiple fixation needs, increasing adaptability while maintaining relative simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An external fixation assembly for bone fusion or separation is disclosed. Related methods are also disclosed.