Calcaneal Plate Inserter Guide With Adjustable Sled Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tools for inserting calcaneal plates into the calcaneus bone are inadequate for accurately determining the placement of pilot holes and screws due to the bone's invisibility under the skin, and existing guide tools are often specific to a single plate size.
Innovation Solution
A calcaneal plate inserter tool with a body portion, plate retainer assembly, sled, and lock mechanism that allows for securement to various plate sizes, featuring a guide that aligns with retaining holes and assists in drilling pilot holes and screw placement, along with a drill guide for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single-size guide tool is used, then the tool structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different plate sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tool incorporates a movable sled that can be adjusted along the body portion to different positions, allowing dynamic adaptation to different plate sizes. The sled includes a lock mechanism that can be engaged at multiple indexed positions corresponding to different plate sizes, enabling the tool to transition between fixed configurations for different applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide tool is designed with a universal body portion that can accommodate multiple plate sizes through the adjustable sled mechanism. The same basic tool structure serves multiple functions by positioning the guide portion at different locations along the body, eliminating the need for multiple separate single-size guide tools.
2Measurement precision
If the bone is not visible under the skin, then the surgical field is clear, but it is difficult to determine where to drill pilot holes and place screws
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tool acts as an intermediary between the visible skin surface and the invisible bone structure. The guide portion extends through the soft tissue to the bone, providing a physical reference that is visible and tangible during surgery. This intermediary structure allows the surgeon to accurately locate bone landmarks and determine precise locations for pilot holes and screw placement without direct visual access to the bone.
3Manufacturing precision
If guide tools specific to each plate size are provided, then placement precision is optimized for each size, but the number of tools required increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single guide tool design serves multiple plate sizes through the adjustable sled mechanism. The body portion and guide portion remain the same, but the sled can be positioned at different indexed locations along the body portion to accommodate various plate sizes, eliminating the need to maintain inventory of multiple specialized guide tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide tool is segmented into a body portion and a movable sled portion that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the tool to be configured for different applications by adjusting the sled position, providing precision appropriate for each plate size while using a single base tool design.
Data Source
AI summary
A calcaneal plate inserter tool includes a body portion, a plate retainer assembly coupled to the body portion, a sled coupled to the body portion and movable relative to the body portion, and a lock coupled to the body portion. The lock is operable between a lock position and an unlocked position. The lock impedes movement of the sled relative to the body portion when in the lock position. The sled also includes a guide portion.