Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyether Bone Attachment Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fastening means for navigation-assisted medical operations, particularly for attaching reference geometries to bones, face challenges in mechanical stability, sterilizability, size minimization, and X-ray transparency, leading to potential mechanical failure and image artifact issues during surgeries.
Innovation Solution
The use of carbon fiber-reinforced polyether compounds, such as PEEK, PEK, and PEKK, with specific fiber reinforcement and structural designs like clamps with stress-balanced mechanisms and silicon nitride ceramic indenters, which provide enhanced mechanical strength, sterilizability, and reduced X-ray artifacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional fasteners are made of stainless steel or titanium to withstand high mechanical stresses, then mechanical strength is improved, but X-ray transparency deteriorates causing artifacts in images
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener is made from a composite material consisting of carbon fiber-reinforced polyether compound (PEEK, PEK, or PEKK). This composite combines the high mechanical strength and stiffness of carbon fibers with the radiation transparency of the polyether matrix, achieving both structural integrity and minimal X-ray artifacts
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters by selecting specific polyether compounds (PEEK, PEK, PEKK) with defined mechanical properties and radiation transparency characteristics. The carbon fiber reinforcement content and orientation are optimized to achieve the required strength-to-artifact ratio
2Ease of operation
If the fastener is made smaller to reduce interference with surgical operations, then ease of operation is improved, but mechanical stability deteriorates under high stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The use of carbon fiber-reinforced polyether compound allows the fastener to be miniaturized while maintaining mechanical stability. The high specific strength (strength-to-weight ratio) of carbon fiber enables smaller dimensions without compromising load-bearing capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener incorporates a stress-balanced mechanism with segmented structural elements that distribute mechanical loads evenly throughout the device, preventing stress concentration that would compromise stability in miniaturized designs
3Reliability
If the fastener is designed with complex stress-balanced mechanisms to handle tension and bending, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener features local structural adaptations with varying wall thicknesses and reinforcement patterns in different zones. The carbon fiber orientation and density are optimized for specific stress regions, providing targeted strength without unnecessary complexity throughout the entire device
Solution Approach 2:
The inherent properties of carbon fiber-reinforced polyether compound provide high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent stress distribution characteristics, reducing the need for complex mechanical stress-balancing mechanisms while maintaining reliability
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3A~4B
AI summary
The present application relates to a fastening device for medical purposes, in particular for fastening a reference geometry for navigation-assisted surgery to a body, especially to a bone, characterized in that at least a part of the fastening device consists of a carbon fiber reinforced unsubstituted, carbon fiber reinforced singly substituted or carbon fiber reinforced multiply substituted polyether compound, in particular of a carbon fiber reinforced unsubstituted, carbon fiber reinforced singly substituted or carbon fiber reinforced multiply substituted aromatic polyether compound.