Bone Fixation System with Threaded Stop Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bone fixation systems face challenges in providing stable and efficient fixation of bone implants, particularly in maintaining angular stability and preventing relative movement between the implant and the fixation element, while minimizing tissue irritation and ensuring early mobilization.
Innovation Solution
A bone fixation system comprising a bone implant with threaded apertures and a bone fixation element featuring a threaded shaft and head, where the threaded region engages the implant's inner wall, and a stop surface prevents movement by capturing the implant between the threaded region and the stop surface, ensuring secure fixation and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a threaded fixation element is used to secure the bone implant, then the fixation strength is improved, but the risk of relative movement and angular instability increases during the fixation process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating a stop surface on the fixation element that engages with the bone implant before the threaded portion is fully inserted. This stop surface prevents excessive insertion and maintains angular stability during the fixation process, ensuring that the implant is secured at the correct position and angle before final tightening occurs.
2Ease of operation
If the fixation element is allowed to rotate freely during insertion, then the threading engagement is easier to achieve, but uncontrolled movement and positioning errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary mechanism in the form of a stop surface that acts as a mediator between the rotating fixation element and the bone implant. This stop surface provides a controlled engagement point that allows rotational movement during insertion while preventing uncontrolled rotation, thereby maintaining positioning accuracy throughout the fixation process.
3Reliability
If the fixation element extends deeply into the bone to ensure stable fixation, then the fixation reliability is improved, but tissue irritation and damage to surrounding structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by extracting the fixation function into a separate threaded portion that engages with the bone implant, while the stop surface prevents the fixation element from extending too deeply into the bone. This separation allows the threaded portion to provide secure fixation reliability while the stop surface limits insertion depth to minimize tissue irritation and damage to surrounding structures.
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 achieves angular stability and prevents relative movement between the implant and the fixation element, facilitating secure bone fusion and minimizing tissue irritation, thus supporting early patient mobilization and effective healing.
Implementation Method 1
The threaded region is configured to threadedly engage the threaded inner wall as the bone fixation element rotates to advance the head in the distal direction in the aperture
Implementation Method 2
at least a portion of the threaded inner wall is captured between the stop surface and the threaded region
Data Source
AI summary
A bone fixation system has a bone implant with an implant body. The implant body defines an upper surface, a bone-facing surface spaced from the upper surface along a transverse direction, and at least one aperture defined by an inner wall. A bone fixation element is configured for insertion at least partially through the aperture. The bone fixation element has a head and a shaft that extends relative to the head in a distal direction. The head defines a ridge and at least one thread that is spaced from the ridge in the distal direction. The ridge is configured to compress a bone implant against the at least one thread so as to fixedly retain the bone implant with respect to the head.