Drill Guide Insert Locking Mechanism Prevents Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drill guide assemblies for orthopedic surgery face challenges with plastic shavings from metal drill bits and high manufacturing costs due to overmolding and press fitting methods, which are difficult to automate and prone to rotation issues.
Innovation Solution
A drill guide assembly featuring a plastic body with integrally formed drill guide bodies and inserts, where the inserts are secured using a locking mechanism that prevents rotation and ensures secure attachment without the need for precise diameters, allowing for cost-effective mass production and preventing plastic shavings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If metal guides are inserted within a plastic body using overmolding or press fitting, then plastic shavings are prevented, but manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the metal guide and plastic body into a single integrated component through injection molding. The metal guide is embedded within the plastic body during the molding process, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps like overmolding or press fitting. This merging of components prevents plastic shavings while simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection molding process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it creates the plastic body structure, embeds the metal guide, and forms the final integrated component in one operation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate metal guide attachment processes, reducing manufacturing complexity while preventing plastic shavings.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If metal guides are inserted within a plastic body using press fitting, then plastic shavings are prevented, but rotation resistance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The metal guide and plastic body are merged into a single integrated component through injection molding. The metal guide is embedded within the plastic body during the molding process, creating a unified structure that eliminates rotation issues while preventing plastic shavings.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If metal guides are inserted within a plastic body using overmolding, then plastic shavings are prevented, but automation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The injection molding process performs multiple functions in one automated operation: creating the plastic body, embedding the metal guide, and forming the final integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate metal guide positioning and attachment steps, making the process more amenable to automation.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If press fitting is used to attach metal guides to plastic body, then plastic shavings are prevented, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The metal guide and plastic body are combined into a single integrated component through injection molding, eliminating the need for separate press fitting operations. This reduces manufacturing steps, labor costs, and overall production expenses while preventing plastic shavings.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection molding process accomplishes multiple tasks simultaneously: forming the plastic body, embedding the metal guide, and creating the final integrated component. This multi-functionality reduces the number of manufacturing operations required, lowering overall manufacturing costs while preventing plastic shavings.
Data Source
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AI summary
A drill guide includes a shaft, a drill guide assembly securab!e to the shaft, and a first drill guide insert. The drill guide assembly includes a first drill guide body defining a receiving passage, a locking member, and terminating in a first grasping projection that flexes between open and closed positions. The first drill guide insert installs in the receiving passage and includes a bore, a grasping projection displacement surface, a locking groove, and a key member. The grasping projection displacement surface moves the first grasping projection from its closed position to its open position during installation of the first drill guide insert. Upon installation, the locking groove receives the first grasping projection to lock the first drill guide insert in the first drill guide body, and the key member engages the locking member to prevent rotation of the first drill guide insert within the first drill guide body.