Bone Plates with Movable Locking Elements for Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard bone plates with locking apertures lack the capability for longitudinal compression during installation, which can lead to improper reduction and excessive gaps between bone fragments, potentially resulting in chronic nonunion at fracture sites.
Innovation Solution
The use of bone plates with movable locking elements that create elongate locking apertures, allowing for longitudinal compression and controlled placement of fasteners at various angles, enabling dynamic compression of bone fragments during fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard bone plates with locking apertures are used, then locking and stability are improved, but longitudinal compression capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The locking aperture is segmented into two functional zones: an upper locking zone with locking surfaces that engage the bone screw head, and a lower compression zone with sloped camming surfaces. This segmentation allows the aperture to simultaneously provide locking stability and longitudinal compression capability, resolving the contradiction between these two functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the locking function and compression function into a single integrated aperture structure. The locking surfaces and camming surfaces are combined in one aperture, allowing both locking and compression to occur during the single screw insertion operation, thereby maintaining versatility while ensuring reliability.
2Reliability
If locking apertures are used to prevent plate slippage, then fixation reliability is improved, but longitudinal adjustment and compression are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture is designed with dynamic functionality where the bone screw performs two sequential actions: first engaging the locking surfaces to prevent plate slippage, then engaging the camming surfaces to enable longitudinal compression. This dynamic sequence allows the aperture to adapt its function during the single screw insertion operation, maintaining both fixation reliability and longitudinal adjustment capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Device and method for bone fixation. The device may comprise a bone plate including a plate body and a locking element. The plate body may define a plurality of openings configured to receive fasteners that secure the plate body to bone. The plurality of openings may include an elongate opening. The locking element, in turn, may define a through-hole disposed under the elongate opening for placement closer to bone than the elongate opening. The locking element may be configured to be disposed in threaded engagement with a fastener received by the locking element at the through-hole from the elongate opening. The locking element may be connected slidably to the plate body, in the absence of the fastener, to permit movement of the through-hole along the elongate opening.