Temporary Bone Mounting Device With Inward-Moving Prongs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for temporarily attaching trackers or reference arrays to bone during surgery often provide only a single point of fixation, leading to weak attachment and potential damage to the bone or surrounding areas, and can be difficult to remove.

Innovation Solution

The development of temporary mounting devices with multiple elongated prongs that move inwardly to provide strong attachment and include features like protrusions and arched regions to prevent over-insertion, allowing for secure fixation and easy removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single-point fixation device (screw, clamp, or spike) is used to attach the tracker to bone, then the device complexity is reduced, but the attachment strength and reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting device structureVSAvoidattachment strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting device is segmented into multiple prongs (typically three or four) that independently engage the bone at separate locations. Each prong acts as an independent fixation element, distributing the attachment load across multiple points rather than concentrating it at a single point, thereby improving overall attachment strength and reliability while maintaining relatively simple device construction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If traditional mounting devices are advanced deeply into bone to improve attachment strength, then the fixation reliability improves, but the risk of bone damage and difficulty of removal increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixation strengthVSAvoidbone damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The device incorporates predetermined stop features (such as enlarged heads or shouldered portions on the prongs) that are designed to prevent over-insertion before bone damage can occur. These stop features engage the bone surface or soft tissue at a safe depth, ensuring that the prongs are advanced only to the extent necessary for secure fixation without penetrating too deeply into the bone structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting device design includes built-in protection mechanisms that cushion against the harmful effect of over-insertion. The stop features act as a mechanical cushion, absorbing the excess insertion force and preventing the prongs from penetrating too deeply into the bone, thereby protecting the bone structure from damage while still achieving adequate fixation strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If traditional mounting devices are advanced deeply into bone to ensure secure attachment, then the attachment reliability improves, but the ease of removal deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment strengthVSAvoidremoval difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device is designed with stop features that preliminarily determine the insertion depth, ensuring that the prongs are advanced only to the necessary depth for secure fixation. This preliminary depth control means the device is not advanced too deeply into the bone, making subsequent removal easier while still achieving adequate attachment strength during the surgical procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If multiple prongs are used to improve attachment strength, then the reliability of fixation improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment strengthVSAvoidmounting device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple prongs are merged into a single integrated mounting device structure, where all prongs are formed as one piece or as closely integrated components. This merging approach provides multiple fixation points for improved reliability while minimizing the complexity that would arise from assembling separate components. The prongs work together as a unified structure to achieve secure multi-point fixation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11751950B2Devices and methods for temporary mounting of parts to bone

Publication Date: 2023.09.12 GLOBUS MEDICAL INC

AI summary

Devices and methods for temporarily affixing a surgical apparatus to a bony structure. The temporary mount includes a base member having a top face configured to be impacted by an insertion device and a plurality of elongated prongs extending downwardly from the base member and configured to engage a bony structure. The prongs are separated a distance from one another, and the prongs are configured to move inwardly toward one another when driven downward into the bony structure.