Load Sharing Bone Plate with Directional Apertures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone plates cause stress shielding, leading to longer healing times and risk of new fractures due to high stress concentrations at the ends, as they bear little to no load and are typically made of stiff materials like stainless steel and titanium.
Innovation Solution
A load-sharing bone plate system with a thinner body and smaller fasteners, featuring directional apertures that orient fasteners at specific angles to distribute load effectively, and load-sharing extensions to reduce stress concentrations, allowing for a more even distribution of stress across the bone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a stiff bone plate made of rigid materials is used to support a fractured bone, then the bone plate can effectively hold the bone in place, but it causes stress shielding resulting in longer healing times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the bone plate's structural parameters (thickness, geometry) and material properties to achieve optimal stiffness. The bone plate is designed with specific thickness ratios and geometric configurations that allow it to provide necessary support while maintaining appropriate flexibility to transmit physiological loads to the bone, thereby avoiding stress shielding and promoting faster healing.
2Shape
If a conventional bone plate is truncated to fit the bone, then it can be properly positioned, but it creates high stress concentrations at the ends leading to risk of new fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature principles by designing the bone plate with rounded ends and smooth transitions instead of sharp truncations. The plate features curved geometries that eliminate stress concentration points, with continuous varying thickness profiles that smoothly transition from the plate body to the ends, thereby maintaining structural strength while achieving proper bone fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by varying the bone plate's thickness and geometric properties at different locations. The plate has different thicknesses in different regions, with thicker sections providing support where needed and thinner sections reducing stress concentrations at critical areas. This localized variation in properties allows the plate to simultaneously achieve good bone fit and high stress concentration resistance.
3Strength
If a thicker bone plate is used to reduce stress concentrations, then strength is improved, but the device becomes more invasive and harder to implant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the bone plate's thickness parameters to achieve the minimum necessary thickness for stress distribution while minimizing invasiveness. The plate is designed with precise thickness specifications that balance structural requirements with surgical implantation considerations, creating a thin yet effective device that is easier to implant than conventional thicker plates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the bone plate into multiple sections with different thicknesses and geometries. This segmented design allows each section to be optimized for its specific function while keeping the overall plate thin and manageable. The segmented structure facilitates easier handling and implantation compared to a uniformly thick plate, reducing surgical complexity.
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.