Modular Drive Unit for Controlled Bone Transport Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for treating soft tissue injuries and bone deformities due to circulation impairment and injury are invasive, costly, and lack effective therapies to increase blood flow and induce tissue regeneration.
Innovation Solution
Development of devices and methods for transverse transport and periosteal distraction using a housing, drive, and control unit to stabilize and rotate a growth stimulator relative to a bone, enabling controlled movement of bone fragments and periosteum to increase regenerative growth factors and stem cell serum levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transverse transport and periosteal distraction devices are used to move bone fragments and stimulate tissue regeneration, then blood flow and regenerative growth factors increase, but the device complexity and surgical procedure complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional modules: a base anchor that secures to the main bone, a translatable anchor that attaches to the bone fragment, and a leadscrew mechanism that enables controlled movement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining regeneration effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The leadscrew acts as an intermediary mechanism between the stationary base anchor and the movable translatable anchor. By introducing this intermediate element, the device achieves controlled transverse displacement of the bone fragment without requiring direct complex mechanical linkages between the anchors, thus simplifying the overall structure
2Reliability
If controlled movement of growth stimulator is implemented to increase biological activity, then stem cell serum levels and growth factors increase, but the manufacturing precision and assembly precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The leadscrew and nut mechanism provides self-aligning and self-adjusting capabilities during assembly. The threaded engagement automatically ensures proper positioning and engagement, reducing the need for high-precision manual assembly while maintaining the controlled movement function necessary for stimulating biological activity
3Ease of operation
If modular housing with indexing contour and locking portion is used to stabilize the drive unit, then the ease of operation and assembly improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The indexing contour and locking portion are extracted as separate, dedicated features from the housing structure. This allows the stabilization function to be achieved through simple geometric interlocking rather than through a complex integrated mechanism, making the modular components easier to manufacture and assemble while maintaining operational simplicity
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 devices and methods enhance angiogenesis and blood flow, raising systemic growth factor levels, providing safer, less invasive treatments for soft tissue injuries and bone deformities, applicable to various bones in the body.
Implementation Method 1
a screw drive rotatably coupled to the leadscrew and configured to couple to a rotatable mating tool that is configured to rotate the leadscrew via the screw drive
Data Source
AI summary
A system for increasing biological activity within a patient includes a housing, a drive carried within the housing, an indexing contour carried by the housing and configured to substantially stabilize the housing in relation to a transport device base of a transport device configured to move a growth stimulator in relation to a bone of a subject, a locking portion configured to releasably lock the housing to the transport device base, a rotatable mating tool carried by the housing, wherein the drive is configured to cause the rotatable mating tool to rotate, and wherein the rotatable mating tool is configured to be rotationally coupled to a screw drive of a leadscrew of the transport device when the housing is stabilized with the transport device base via the indexing contour and is locked to the transport device base via the locking portion, and a control unit configured to output a control signal configured to direct the drive to rotate the rotatable mating tool.