Layered Cartilage Substitute With Fluid Pumping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional artificial cartilage substitutes fail to replicate the mechanical and friction characteristics of human physiological cartilage, leading to secondary injuries and inadequate joint lubrication.
Innovation Solution
A cartilage substitute with a layered structure, including a subcutaneous layer, intermediate layer, and deep layer, featuring fluid storage cavities and communicating passages that mimic the viscoelastic properties of natural cartilage, allowing for improved adaptability and lubrication through synovial fluid pumping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a porous structure is used to imitate viscoelasticity, then some mechanical characteristics are improved, but the matching degree with patient cartilage remains insufficient and secondary injuries occur
Solution Approach 1:
The cartilage substitute is divided into multiple layers (superficial layer, intermediate layer, deep layer) with distinct functions. Each layer has specific porosity and mechanical properties tailored to match corresponding cartilage zones, enabling both mechanical performance and anatomical adaptability simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the cartilage substitute are assigned different physical properties. The superficial layer has lower porosity for friction reduction, while deeper layers have higher porosity for load transmission, creating local quality variations that match natural cartilage heterogeneity and improve overall matching degree
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional artificial cartilage is used, then joint replacement is avoided, but wear to opposite cartilage increases causing secondary injury
Solution Approach 1:
The cartilage substitute incorporates controlled porous structures with specific porosity values in different layers. These porous materials provide viscoelasticity for joint preservation while the optimized pore distribution reduces friction and wear on opposite cartilage surfaces, preventing secondary injuries
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material construction with multiple layers having different material compositions and physical properties. This composite structure achieves both joint preservation through viscoelasticity and reduced wear through friction control, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and harmful effects
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cartilage substitute reduces wear and improves joint lubrication by matching the mechanical characteristics of human cartilage, enhancing adaptability and reducing friction-related injuries.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid storage cavity, disposed in the subcutaneous layer portion and communicated with the first opening and the second opening respectively, a fluid being capable of being stored in the fluid storage cavity and flowing out of the base through the first opening and the second opening
Implementation Method 2
the fluid storage cavity, the second communicating passage and the third communicating passage are disposed to make a hardness of the subcutaneous layer portion lower than a hardness of the intermediate layer portion and make the hardness of the intermediate layer portion lower than a hardness of the deep layer area portion
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a cartilage substitute, which includes at least one cartilage unit, the cartilage unit including: a base, including a subcutaneous layer portion forming contact friction with a corresponding skeleton, a deep layer area portion contacting with a target skeleton and an intermediate layer portion provided between the subcutaneous layer portion and the deep layer area portion. A fluid storage cavity is disposed in the subcutaneous layer portion. A first communicating passage is disposed in the subcutaneous layer portion. A second communicating passage is disposed in the intermediate layer portion, a third communicating passage is disposed in the deep layer area portion. The fluid storage cavity, the second communicating passage and the third communicating passage are disposed to gradually increase hardness of the subcutaneous layer portion, the intermediate layer portion and the deep layer area portion.