Multi-Head Peg Drill for Faster Robotic Glenoid Preparation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic-assisted anatomic shoulder arthroplasty procedures require multiple steps to drill or ream the central and peripheral pegs of the scapula for glenoid implant preparation, which is inefficient and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical arm equipped with an end effector that includes three drill heads configured to simultaneously drill three holes or bores in the scapula around the glenoid, reducing the number of procedures to one.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple separate drilling steps are used to create central and peripheral pegs of the scapula, then each hole can be precisely drilled, but the procedure becomes inefficient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate drilling operations (central peg drilling and peripheral peg drilling) into a single integrated end effector that can perform all drilling steps in one procedure. The end effector includes a central drill head for the central peg and multiple peripheral drill heads for the peripheral pegs, allowing simultaneous or sequential drilling of all holes without removing the tool, thus improving procedural efficiency while maintaining precision through robotic guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector is designed as a universal tool that can perform multiple drilling functions - creating both the central peg hole and all peripheral peg holes in a single instrument. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for multiple specialized drilling tools and steps, directly addressing the efficiency problem while the robotic arm ensures precise positioning for each drilling function.
2Reliability
If multiple separate procedures are used to drill central and peripheral pegs, then each step can be carefully executed, but the overall procedure time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By merging all drilling operations into a single end effector and procedure, the patent eliminates time losses associated with tool changes, repositioning, and multiple setup steps. The central drill head and peripheral drill heads are integrated into one tool that can be positioned and activated sequentially or simultaneously, maintaining drilling accuracy through robotic control while significantly reducing total procedural time.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector is pre-configured with all necessary drill heads (central and peripheral) before the procedure begins. The robotic arm pre-positions the integrated end effector, and all drilling parameters are pre-programmed, allowing the surgeon to execute the entire drilling sequence without intermediate setup or tool changes, thus minimizing time loss while ensuring accurate execution of each drilling step.
3Productivity
If a single end effector with multiple drill heads is used, then procedural efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector is segmented into distinct functional modules - a central drill head assembly and multiple peripheral drill head assemblies, each independently controllable. This segmentation allows the complex multi-drill-head device to be managed as separate functional units that can be activated in sequence or combination, making the complexity manageable while maintaining the efficiency benefits of an integrated tool.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector incorporates dynamic control capabilities where the robotic arm can selectively activate different drill heads (central or peripheral) based on the procedural stage. The device transitions from a static multi-component tool to a dynamically controlled system where only the required drill heads are active at any given time, reducing operational complexity while maintaining high procedural efficiency through coordinated multi-head operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An end effector for a robotic surgical arm can include a housing, a drive shaft, a motor, and two or more drill heads. The housing can be securable to the robotic surgical arm, and the housing can define a cavity therein. The drive shaft can be located at least partially within the housing. The motor can be located at least partially within the housing or the robotic surgical arm, and the motor can be operable to rotate the drive shaft. The two or more drill heads can be supported by the housing and can be engaged with the drive shaft to be driven by the drive shaft to rotate together. The two or more drill heads can be configured to simultaneously form two or more bores in a bone.