Bone Plate Polyaxial Locking Mechanism with Deformable Contact Region
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bone plate systems lack a reliable mechanism for freely selecting the insertion angle of fastening members and providing sufficient stability without deforming the bone plate, especially under varying fracture lines and limited bone volume.
Innovation Solution
A bone plate with a polyaxial locking mechanism featuring a deformable contact region with cavities surrounding through holes, allowing for anisotropic material structure that enables flexible insertion angles and high bending resistance by adapting to the fastening member's shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid bone plate structure is used to provide structural support, then bending resistance is improved, but the ability to freely select insertion angle of fastening members deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bone plate features a deformable contact region with cavities that creates local anisotropic material structure. This region has different mechanical properties (higher deformability) compared to the rest of the rigid bone plate structure, allowing localized adaptation to fastening member angles while maintaining overall structural integrity and bending resistance
2Adaptability or versatility
If a deformable contact region with cavities is introduced to enable angle selection, then insertion angle freedom is improved, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bone plate is segmented into a rigid structural region and a deformable contact region containing multiple cavities. This segmentation allows the deformable region to accommodate various insertion angles through controlled deformation, while the rigid region maintains overall structural stability and load-bearing capacity
3Reliability
If the fastening member head contacts the bone plate inner surface, then locking capability is improved, but insertion effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cavities in the deformable contact region create an anisotropic material structure that changes the mechanical parameters of the bone plate locally. This allows the material to deform more easily during insertion (reducing insertion effort) while still providing reliable locking when the fastening member head contacts the inner surface
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
Enables secure locking of fastening members at various angles with low insertion effort and provides robust structural support against bending loads, allowing surgeons to choose optimal insertion angles for fractured bones.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable contact region comprising a contact surface and a through hole... The deformable contact region comprises a plurality of cavities at least partially surrounding the through hole
Data Source
AI summary
A bone plate has a first and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a deformable contact surface region. The plate has a through hole defining a through hole axis and an inner surface of the bone plate and extending from the first surface through the bone plate to the second surface. The contact surface may be formed by at least part of the inner surface, wherein the deformable contact region comprises a plurality of cavities at least partially surrounding the through hole and each extending in a height direction of the bone plate. Alternately, the deformable contact region may comprise at least one cavity surrounding the through hole in a circumferential direction of the through hole. Also provided is a bone plate system comprising the bone plate and a fastening member being configured to cooperate with the deformable contact region of the bone plate.