Dental Surgical Tool Guide Portion Recess Markers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical tools used in guided surgery face issues with visual markers wearing off due to abrasion during use, cleaning, or sterilization, leading to reduced readability and compromised guidance accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The surgical tool features a guide portion with finite recesses acting as visual markers, maintaining a continuous guide surface and preventing abrasion, ensuring durable depth indication without affecting the tool's smooth guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If visual markers are provided on the guide portion of surgical tools, then depth indication capability is improved, but the markers wear off due to abrasion during use, cleaning, or sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical copying by projecting a light pattern (e.g., LED array) onto the guide portion to create visual markers temporarily during surgery. This eliminates the need for permanent physical markers that would wear off, as the optical copy can be refreshed and maintained without degradation through cleaning or sterilization processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical visual markers (physical engravings, painted lines, or attached labels on the guide portion) with an optical system consisting of light sources, mirrors, or projectors. This substitution eliminates the mechanical wear and abrasion issues inherent in physical markers while maintaining clear visual depth indication during the surgical procedure.
2Manufacturing precision
If the guide portion has a tight fit with the guide element for precise guidance, then alignment accuracy is improved, but visual markers on the guide portion are subject to abrasion
Solution Approach 1:
By using optical projection to create visual markers on the guide portion during surgery, the patent eliminates the need for physical markers that would be abraded by the tight fit with the guide element. The optical copy remains intact and can be重新 projected as needed, maintaining both precise guidance and marker durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes mechanical visual markers that would be damaged by friction during insertion and removal from the guide element with an optical marking system. This allows the guide portion to maintain its tight fit for precise alignment without compromising the integrity of visual depth indicators.
3Measurement precision
If physical stops are provided to control drilling depth, then depth control precision is improved, but the stops interfere with tool rotation and may destroy threads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical intermediary system that projects visual depth markers onto the guide portion, allowing depth control without physical contact between the tool and guide element. This eliminates the interference caused by mechanical stops while maintaining precise depth control through visual feedback, enabling smooth tool rotation throughout the procedure.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6a~6c
AI summary
The present invention relates to a surgical tool (1) for use in guided surgery comprising a distal end portion having a functional element (10), a shank (23) on the opposite end of the tool (1), and a substantially circular cylindrical guide portion (45). The guide portion (45) is located between the functional element (10) and the shank (23) and has at least one visual marker (50). The at least one marker (50) comprises at least one recess which is finite in the circumferential direction such that, at the axial location of the recess a section (65) of guide portion (45) having outer radius r is maintained.