Expandable Implant Pivoting Control Assembly for Adjustable Lordosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expandable implants lack the ability to adjust the amount of lordosis and expand in a manner that mimics the natural curvature of the human spine, limiting their effectiveness in spinal applications.
Innovation Solution
An expandable implant with a control assembly that includes a control shaft and a control member, allowing for pivotal movement of an upper support relative to a lower support, enabling adjustment of lordosis and expansion to match the natural spinal curvature through a hinged mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing expandable implants are used, then the implant can be expanded to provide spinal support, but the implant cannot adjust the amount of lordosis to match natural spinal curvature
Solution Approach 1:
The implant incorporates a hinged mechanism with a control shaft that enables dynamic adjustment of the upper support relative to the lower support, allowing the lordosis angle to be changed from fixed to variable. This dynamic capability permits the implant to adapt to different spinal curvature requirements while maintaining structural integrity through the controlled hinged connection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a hinged mechanism with control assembly is added, then the implant can adjust lordosis and expand to match natural spinal curvature, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: a control shaft for rotational input, a control member that translates rotation to linear motion, and a hinged mechanism that converts linear motion to angular adjustment. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function efficiently, reducing overall system complexity while achieving the desired adaptability for customizing spinal curvature.
3Ease of operation
If the control member moves along the control shaft to cause pivotal movement, then the upper support can pivot relative to the lower support, but the mechanism requires precise coordination of multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The control member integrates multiple functions into a single component: it rotates along the control shaft, translates this rotational motion into linear displacement, and simultaneously drives the pivotal movement of the upper support. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate components and their coordination requirements, simplifying the overall control mechanism while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable implant includes a lower support; an upper support pivotally coupled to the lower support and including a control channel; and a control assembly. The control assembly includes a control shaft coupled to the lower support and a control member coupled to the control shaft and configured to move along the control shaft. The control member includes a base member and a pivot member pivotally coupled to the base member, the pivot member configured to move within the control channel. Movement of the control member along the control shaft causes the pivot member to pivot relative to the base member, and the upper support to pivot relative to the lower support.