Cervical Plate with Polyurethane Foam and Balloon

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing anterior cervical disc replacement technologies fail to maintain intervertebral disc space mobility and absorb shock effectively, leading to immobilization and increased loading on screws due to lack of flexible and resilient structures.

Innovation Solution

A cervical plate with a hydrotec fiber skeleton laminated in polycarbonate, incorporating an inflatable balloon to mimic natural disc properties, providing flexibility and shock absorption while maintaining intervertebral disc space through a full range of motion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If an anterior cervical plate is made rigid for fixation, then stability and fixation strength are improved, but shock absorption capability and flexibility are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixation strengthVSAvoidshock loading on screws

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cervical plate incorporates a polyurethane foam core that provides flexible shock absorption while maintaining structural integrity. This flexible core allows the plate to absorb impact forces from daily activities and trauma, reducing stress concentration on the fixation screws and bone-plate interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The plate uses a composite structure combining rigid components (for fixation strength) with a polyurethane foam core (for shock absorption). This composite design enables the plate to simultaneously provide stable fixation and absorb mechanical shocks, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the cervical plate is made flexible for shock absorption, then shock loading on screws is reduced, but structural rigidity and fixation stability are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshock loading on screwsVSAvoidfixation stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The plate uses a composite structure combining rigid components (for fixation strength) with a polyurethane foam core (for shock absorption). This composite design enables the plate to simultaneously provide stable fixation and absorb mechanical shocks, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The cervical plate incorporates a polyurethane foam core that provides flexible shock absorption while maintaining structural integrity. This flexible core allows the plate to absorb impact forces from daily activities and trauma, reducing stress concentration on the fixation screws and bone-plate interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If an expandable balloon prosthesis is used to maintain disc space, then intervertebral mobility is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintervertebral mobilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The plate incorporates an expandable balloon component that can be inflated to restore and maintain intervertebral disc space. By changing the volume parameter of the balloon, the device adapts to maintain proper spacing and mobility between vertebral bodies without requiring complex mechanical structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The expandable balloon uses pneumatic principles to maintain disc space through controlled inflation. This simple pneumatic mechanism provides effective space maintenance and mobility preservation without the complexity of mechanical articulation systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution allows for flexible yet rigid cervical plate structure that absorbs shock and maintains intervertebral disc space, reducing the loading on screws and preserving natural motion, thereby alleviating pain and mobility issues.

Implementation Method 1

The polyurethane provides a flexible, high resilience structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the cervical plate has limited flexibility allowing the plate to absorb the shock, lessening the loading on the mounting screws

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShock absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 3

An artificial/prosthetic facet joint with balloon joint space component composed of latex, polymer, silicone or the like materials

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 4

The nucleus comprises a hydrophilic, elastomeric cartilaginous substance that cushions and supports the separation between the bones

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS9974574B2Anterior cervical disc replacement

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 ATLAS SPINE INC

AI summary

Disclosed is a cervical plate having a polyester staple fiber laminated within a polycarbonate urethane. The polyurethane provides a flexible, high resilience structure with a Dacron® material providing a flexible skeleton. The result is a cervical plate that is flexible but provides the necessary rigidity. An inflatable balloon can be used to mimic the properties of the natural disc by maintaining the intervertebral disc space through a full range of natural motion.