Cannula Lock Brake and Bone Anchors for Fast Orientation Setting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cannula locks require screws to be driven into the patient's tissue for securement, increasing procedure time and trauma, and often have clamps that obstruct access, making it difficult to set the lock in the correct orientation.

Innovation Solution

A cannula lock design featuring a shell with moveable anchors and a brake assembly that can be actuated with a single hand, allowing secure fixation to tissue without screws and ensuring accessible orientation adjustment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If screws are used to secure the cannula lock to the patient's tissue, then the securement reliability is improved, but the procedure time increases and tissue trauma worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurement reliabilityVSAvoidprocedure time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes screws entirely from the cannula lock system and replaces them with a spring-loaded anchor mechanism that expands within a bore to secure the device. This extraction of the screw component eliminates the time-consuming screwing and unscrewing operations while maintaining securement through the expanding anchor that engages with the bore walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical screw-threaded connection system with a spring-mechanical expansion system. The spring-loaded anchor expands radially outward to engage the bore walls, providing securement through elastic mechanical force rather than threaded engagement, thereby reducing procedure time and tissue trauma.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If screws are used to secure the cannula lock to the patient's tissue, then the securement reliability is improved, but the tissue trauma increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurement reliabilityVSAvoidtissue trauma
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes screws entirely from the cannula lock system and replaces them with a spring-loaded anchor mechanism that expands within a bore to secure the device. This extraction of the screw component eliminates the time-consuming screwing and unscrewing operations while maintaining securement through the expanding anchor that engages with the bore walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical screw-threaded connection system with a spring-mechanical expansion system. The spring-loaded anchor expands radially outward to engage the bore walls, providing securement through elastic mechanical force rather than threaded engagement, thereby reducing procedure time and tissue trauma.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If the clamp is positioned to hold the device, then the device positioning is secure, but the accessibility for setting the lock orientation becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice positioning securityVSAvoidaccessibility for setting lock orientation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a dynamic brake assembly with movable components that can be actuated to lock the device at various orientations. The brake assembly includes a movable arm that can be positioned and secured at different angular positions, allowing the operator to adjust and set the lock orientation easily without obstruction from the clamp structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the locking mechanism into separate functional components: the clamp for holding the device and the brake assembly for setting orientation. This segmentation allows the brake assembly to be independently actuated and positioned without interference from the clamp, improving accessibility for orientation adjustment while maintaining secure device positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3442460B1Cannula lock with a brake that rotates and anchors that deploy into the bone against which the cannula lock is set
Publication Date: 2021.05.26 STRYKER EUROPEAN HOLDINGS I LLC
  • EP3442460B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3442460B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3442460B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

A cannula lock for holding a medical device static in a select orientation relative to tissue. The cannula lock includes a shell with anchors. The anchors are deployed to the hold the shell static to the tissue. A pivoting brake (95) is disposed in the shell. The brake holds the medical device. When the orientation of the brake, by extension, the orientation of the device is established, the brake is set. The brake is set by expanding the brake (95) outwardly against the inner surfaces of the shell so as to hold the brake and medical device in the select orientation.