Modular Impactor Head With Polymer Load Transfer Member

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional impactors for medical implants suffer from high wear in load transfer members and susceptibility to fatigue in set screw assemblies, leading to potential failure, and are often heavy due to metal construction, making them difficult for less strong surgeons to manipulate.

Innovation Solution

A modular impactor head design featuring a load transfer member, base with sidewalls and slots, and a locking assembly that uses a biasing member and locking shaft to securely attach the load transfer member to the base, allowing for easy replacement and reducing weight through the use of polymer materials for the load transfer member and carbon-reinforced plastic for the handle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional impactors use fixed load transfer members cross-pinned to the impactor head, then structural integrity is maintained, but wear occurs in the load transfer members

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidwear resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The impactor is divided into separate modular components: the impactor head and the load transfer member are detachable rather than permanently fixed. This allows the load transfer member to be replaced when worn while maintaining the structural integrity of the overall assembly through the base and locking assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The load transfer member is designed as a replaceable component that can be discarded when worn and recovered by replacing it with a new member. The base and locking assembly remain intact and can be reused with multiple load transfer members.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Ease of repair

If modular assemblies use set screw assemblies to attach the load transfer member, then replaceability is enabled, but fatigue susceptibility increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereplaceabilityVSAvoidfatigue resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The set screw assembly is extracted and replaced with a locking shaft that engages with a slot in the load transfer member. This eliminates the fatigue-prone set screw while maintaining the ability to easily attach and detach the load transfer member through the locking mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A locking shaft serves as an intermediary component between the base and the load transfer member. The locking shaft engages with a slot in the load transfer member to provide secure attachment without relying on set screws that are prone to fatigue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If impactor handles are fabricated from metals, then structural integrity and machinability are improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidimpactor weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The impactor handle is made from carbon-reinforced plastic, a composite material that combines the strength and structural integrity of metal with the weight benefits of polymer materials. This provides sufficient mechanical properties while reducing overall weight for easier manipulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS9186196B2Modular impactor head

Publication Date: 2015.11.17 MICROPORT ORTHOPEDICS HLDG INC

AI summary

A modular impactor head includes a load transfer member, a base, and a locking assembly. The base defines a space sized and configured to receive the load transfer member therein and to constrain movement of the load transfer member relative to the base in a plurality of directions. The locking assembly is sized and configured to constrain movement of the load transfer member with respect to the base in at least one direction such that the load transfer member is fixed to the base.