Breakoff Set Screw Driver for Internal Drive and Head Stacking

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Solution Overview

Problem

External hex breakoff set screws often face geometry interference issues, preventing their use and requiring cumbersome driver changes for different screw sizes with internal drive features, which complicates spinal implant procedures.

Innovation Solution

A surgical instrument with a shaft and driver head featuring interlocking grooves and protrusions, allowing for a pin to deploy and retract laterally, enabling engagement with set screws having breakoff heads with internal drive features, facilitating efficient stacking and use of multiple screw styles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If internal drive features (such as hex shaped recess or hexalobe shaped recess) are used in breakoff heads to accommodate geometry interference issues, then the set screw can be used in cases where external hex breakoff set screws cannot be used, but the internal drive features prevent the separated breakoff heads from being stacked on a magazine of a breakoff driver

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to geometry interference issuesVSAvoidstacking of breakoff heads on magazine

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The driver system is segmented into a driver body and a removable driver bit. The driver bit is separated from the main driver body, allowing the bit to be specifically designed for engaging internal drive features while the driver body maintains the magazine stacking capability. This segmentation resolves the conflict between needing internal drive engagement and maintaining stackability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A driver bit acts as an intermediary component between the driver body and the breakoff head with internal drive features. The driver bit specifically engages the internal drive features (hex recess, hexalobe recess, etc.) while the driver body provides the magazine interface. This intermediary allows both functions to coexist without interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple styles of screws with different internal drive features are used within a single construct, then various screw sizes and drive features can be accommodated, but it becomes cumbersome to repeatedly switch out the breakoff driver or the bit of the breakoff driver

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of various screw stylesVSAvoidtime for driver bit changes

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The driver body is designed with universal functionality to accept multiple types of driver bits through a standardized interface. The magazine can hold multiple bits for different screw sizes and drive features. This multi-functionality allows the single driver body to handle various screw styles without requiring multiple complete driver tools, reducing change time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple driver bits for different screw sizes and drive features are pre-loaded into the magazine of the driver body. This preliminary action allows the surgeon to quickly access different bits during the procedure without needing to perform complex driver changes, significantly reducing the time loss associated with accommodating multiple screw styles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If external hex breakoff set screws are used, then the set screw can be easily engaged and torqued, but geometry interference issues prevent their use in certain implant configurations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengagement and torquing of set screwVSAvoidcompatibility with implant geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using an external hex drive feature on the set screw (external drive), the design inverts the approach by using an internal drive feature (internal recess) within the breakoff head of the set screw. This inversion allows the driver to engage from the inside, avoiding geometry interference issues with external features while maintaining ease of engagement and torquing through the specialized driver bit design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS11298163B2Internal breakoff set screw and driver

Publication Date: 2022.04.12 WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC INC

AI summary

An approach is provided for engaging a set screw to an implant. The approach includes a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may include a shaft having an elongated rigid structure, and a driver head positioned on a distal end of the surgical instrument. The driver head may include at least one groove or at least one protrusion extending in a longitudinal direction of the surgical instrument and a pin positioned at least partially within the driver head. The pin may be configured to deploy and retract in a lateral direction from with the driver head portion.