Fixed-Angle Holder for Stable Variable-Angle Orthopedic Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic surgical tools, such as fixed angled drills and drivers, are complex and costly due to internal components like gears and ball bearings, and variable angle drills struggle with stability and consistent force application, especially in limited access scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A variable angle tool assembly with a first and second drive member connected via a joint allowing two degrees of freedom, combined with a fixed angle holder that secures the tool at a desired angle, enabling stable and adjustable access for drilling and screwing in orthopedic surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed angled drills and drivers are used, then drilling and driving operations can be performed, but the device complexity increases due to internal components like gears and ball bearings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex internal components (gears, ball bearings) from the drill/driver system. Instead, it uses a simple guide structure with a guide member and guide bore that directs the tool bit along the desired trajectory without requiring complex internal mechanisms for angle control or force transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using internal components to actively control and maintain the drilling angle, the invention inverts the approach by using a passive guide structure that physically constrains the tool bit to follow the correct trajectory. The guide member with its specific geometry (e.g., 45-degree angle) passively directs the tool rather than actively controlling it through complex mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple drills and drivers with different angles are used, then different surgical scenarios can be addressed, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member is designed with universal adaptability to work with multiple tool bits (drills, drivers, screw inserters) while maintaining different drilling angles. The guide structure can accommodate various surgical scenarios by simply changing the tool bit or adjusting the guide member configuration, eliminating the need for multiple specialized tools with fixed internal geometries.
3Adaptability or versatility
If variable angle drills are used, then different angles can be achieved, but stability decreases due to guide positioning issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the guide function and the angle control function into a single integrated guide member structure. The guide member is directly attached to or integrated with the handle, creating a unified structure that simultaneously provides angle control and trajectory guidance. This eliminates the instability caused by separate guide components that need to be precisely positioned and maintained during surgery.
Data Source
AI summary
A tool assembly includes a variable angle tool that has first and second drive members with respective first and second axes. The second drive member is moveably connected to the first drive member so as to form a variable angle therebetween. The assembly also includes a fixed angle holder that has a first support member, a second support member, and a bridge. The first and second support members respectively rotatably hold the first and second drive members. The bridge is connected to and extends between the first and second support members such that the first and second drive members are held in a fixed position when the first and second drive members are held by the respective first and second drive members.