Finger Joint Distraction Linkage for Adjustable Bone Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Knee pain and damage due to bone-on-bone contact are prevalent, particularly in conditions like osteoarthritis, and conventional treatments such as anti-inflammatory drugs and total knee replacement surgery are inadequate for all patients, leading to prolonged suffering and limited options for those not eligible for surgery.
Innovation Solution
A device with a first member attached to the foot and a second member secured to the thigh, connected by a hinge system, adjusts a small gap between the bones of the knee using adjustable rods and tubes to prevent compressive contact, allowing for movement and pain relief.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid structure is used to maintain bone distance, then the distance maintenance is reliable, but the device cannot accommodate joint movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic linkage mechanism with rods and coupling tubes that can adjust their configuration. The linkage includes movable connections allowing the structure to adapt its shape and maintain bone distance while accommodating the natural flexion and extension movements of the joint, resolving the contradiction between rigid distance maintenance and movement flexibility
2Manufacturing precision
If a complex adjustment mechanism is used to control the gap between bones, then the distance control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a coupling tube mechanism where rotational movement changes the geometric parameters of the linkage system. By rotating the coupling tube, the gap between bones is precisely controlled through parametric adjustment of the linkage configuration, achieving accurate gap control without overly complex mechanisms
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a fixed structure is used to prevent bone contact, then pain relief is effective, but the patient cannot perform normal movements
Solution Approach 1:
The linkage mechanism is designed with movable connections and adjustable geometry that allow the structure to dynamically adapt during joint movement. The mechanism maintains bone separation throughout the range of motion, preventing harmful contact while enabling normal functional movements, thus resolving the contradiction between pain relief and movement capability
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a first engaging member to engage a first portion of a finger, a second engaging member to engage a second portion of the finger, and a plurality of assemblies connecting the first engaging member and the second engaging member to maintain a distance between bones of a body portion comprising a joint of the finger, wherein the body portion resides between the first and second portions, and wherein each assembly comprises a plurality of rods coupling the first engaging member and the second engaging member, and a coupling tube with a first rod of the plurality of rods secured to a proximal end and a second rod of the plurality of rods secured to a distal end, wherein rotation of the coupling tube adjusts a gap between the first and second rods in the coupling tube to control the distance between the bones of the body portion.