Load Sharing Bone Plate with Directional Apertures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone plates, made of rigid materials like stainless steel and titanium, cause stress shielding that prolongs healing times and can lead to new fractures due to high stress concentrations at the ends of the bone plate.
Innovation Solution
A load-sharing bone plate with a thinner body and smaller fasteners, featuring directional apertures that orient fasteners at specific angles and load-sharing extensions to reduce stress concentrations, allowing for effective bone support and load distribution during healing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid bone plate is used to support a fractured bone, then the bone plate provides strong mechanical support, but it causes stress shielding that prolongs healing times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from rigid materials (stainless steel, titanium) to more compliant materials (polymer, composite) with different mechanical properties. This allows the bone plate to flex and share load with the healing bone, preventing stress shielding while maintaining adequate support. The material parameter change enables both strength and reduced healing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials combining polymer matrices with reinforcement elements (fibers, particles) to achieve optimal mechanical properties. The composite structure provides sufficient strength for bone support while maintaining flexibility to share load with the healing bone, resolving the contradiction between mechanical support and healing time.
2Strength
If a conventional bone plate is used to support a fractured bone, then the bone plate provides structural reinforcement, but it creates high stress concentrations at the ends that can cause new fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by designing the bone plate with rounded ends instead of sharp truncations. This geometric modification distributes stress more evenly along the plate ends, eliminating stress concentration points that could initiate new fractures while maintaining overall structural reinforcement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the bone plate, specifically the end configuration, from sharp-edged to rounded contours. This parameter modification reduces stress concentration by distributing mechanical loads more uniformly across the plate-bone interface, preventing new fracture formation.
3Strength
If a thick bone plate is used to provide adequate support, then the mechanical strength is sufficient, but the stress shielding effect is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by reducing the thickness parameter of the bone plate while compensating with material property changes (using stronger, more compliant materials). This allows adequate mechanical strength with reduced cross-sectional area, enabling better load sharing and reduced stress shielding.
4Strength
If large fasteners are used to secure the bone plate, then the fixation strength is adequate, but the stress concentration and bone damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by reducing the size parameters of fasteners while using material property changes (compliant materials) to maintain fixation strength. Smaller fasteners create less stress concentration and reduce the risk of bone damage during insertion and under load.
Data Source
AI summary
A load sharing bone plate has a plurality of directional apertures configured to effectively support and share the load with a fractured bone to promote healing. A load sharing bone plate may have a body portion that is thinner and be configured to be secured with smaller fasteners than conventional bone plates. A load sharing bone plate has a plurality of directional apertures, configured to direct a fastener is a specific orientation, such as in an oblique angle to the length and/or in an oblique angle to the width of the bone plate. A load sharing bone plate may be configured with a load sharing extension on at least one end that is configured to reduce stress concentration at the end of the bone plate. A load sharing extension may have a tapered thickness and/or width from the body portion to the extended end.