External Bone Fixation System with Adjustable Collet Clamp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current external bone fixation devices are bulky, complex, and difficult to use, with limited rotational ability and challenging postoperative care, particularly when applied to the foot or ankle, where varied anatomies and injuries require precise pin placement.
Innovation Solution
An external bone fixation system featuring a fracture fusion tube with a slidably engaged bracket and a collet clamp, utilizing a perforated ball for adjustable pin placement, secured by a single screw, allowing multiple axes of rotation and simplified assembly with fewer components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ring or halo member is used to provide support to pins for fixating bone matter, then the fixation effectiveness is improved, but the device becomes bulky and creates difficulty for the physician to insert pins and for the patient to move independently
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation device is divided into multiple independent components: a frame member with multiple arms, separate pin inserters for each arm, and individual fasteners. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and enables modular assembly, reducing the overall bulk while maintaining fixation effectiveness through distributed pin placement points.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates movable and adjustable components including rotatable pin inserters that can be positioned at various angles, slideable arms along the frame members, and adjustable fasteners. This dynamic design allows the device to adapt to different anatomical configurations and facilitates easier pin insertion while maintaining secure fixation.
2Reliability
If current external fixation devices are designed with numerous components to provide comprehensive fixation, then the fixation capability is improved, but the device becomes complicated to use and difficult to adjust
Solution Approach 1:
The frame member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the structural framework, contains the pin insertion points, supports the fasteners, and facilitates adjustment of multiple pins through its interconnected arms. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining comprehensive fixation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple fixation functions are merged into integrated components. The pin inserters are combined with the frame arms, the fasteners are integrated with the pin insertion mechanism, and the adjustment mechanisms are unified within the frame structure. This merging simplifies the overall device while preserving the ability to provide comprehensive fixation.
3Device complexity
If current external fixation devices are designed with fixed pin placement, then the structural simplicity is improved, but the adaptability to different anatomies and injuries is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates movable and adjustable components including rotatable pin inserters that can be positioned at various angles, slideable arms along the frame members, and adjustable fasteners. This dynamic design allows the device to adapt to different anatomical configurations and facilitates easier pin insertion while maintaining secure fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
Each arm of the frame member can be independently adjusted and positioned to match the specific anatomical requirements of different bones and injuries. The pin inserters on each arm can be rotated to optimal angles for pin insertion, and the fasteners can be adjusted to secure pins at various positions. This localized adjustability maintains overall structural simplicity while providing high adaptability to varied anatomies.
Data Source
AI summary
An external bone fixation system may include a first semi-circular external fixation member, a second semi-circular external fixation member, four ball collet assemblies attached to the second external fixation member, and four shafts. Each shaft may include a first end attached to the first external fixation member and a second end with a stop member, and each of the four shafts extends slidably through an opening in a ball of one of the four ball collet assemblies. The stop member of each second end prevents each second end from passing through the opening in its respective ball. Each shaft also includes a hinge located closer to the first end than to the second end.