Offset Reamer Driver Sealing and Modular Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical reamer drivers fail to effectively prevent debris and abrasion of soft tissues during use due to incomplete sealing and design flaws that allow penetration and irritation.
Innovation Solution
A surgical reamer driver with four main components: a housing assembly, a transmission drive train with double universal joints, a motor shaft coupling, and a handle assembly, designed for full encapsulation and easy replacement, featuring a locking mechanism that prevents debris entry and allows for minimal invasive tool connection without activating the locking mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the housing shells are made with long, near flat surfaces to enclose the transmission drive train, then the encapsulation coverage is improved, but the sealing effectiveness deteriorates because flat surfaces can almost never be fully sealed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional flat housing shell surfaces with curved surfaces. This curvature eliminates the sealing problems inherent in flat surfaces by allowing continuous contact between sealing surfaces, thereby achieving effective debris prevention while maintaining full encapsulation of the transmission drive train.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the surgical reamer driver is designed as a sealed unit to prevent debris entry, then debris prevention is improved, but the ease of component replacement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sealed housing into multiple separable components including the handle assembly, housing, and transmission drive train. This segmentation allows the housing to remain sealed during operation while enabling easy disassembly and component replacement when needed, resolving the contradiction between sealed operation and maintenance accessibility.
3Device complexity
If a single universal joint is used in the transmission drive train, then the device complexity is reduced, but the rotational movement capability deteriorates as it cannot transmit rotation at angles larger than 40°
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple universal joints into a integrated transmission drive train assembly. This merging of joints allows the system to achieve large angular rotation capability (exceeding 40 degrees) while maintaining manageable complexity through the unified design of the drive train components.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the locking mechanism is designed to secure the reamer driver connection, then connection stability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to activation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the locking mechanism to automatically engage and secure the reamer driver connection without requiring manual activation. This self-locking feature provides stable connection security while eliminating the operational complexity of manual locking, thereby resolving the contradiction between connection stability and ease of operation.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A surgical reamer driver device provides a fully closed tube which prevents the invasion of debris and minimizes abrasion of soft tissue during use. The reamer device includes a minimum number of component assemblies, so as to permit easy replacement and minimize wear. The surgical reamer driver (1) has a housing assembly (10) in a stand-alone, assembled unit, a transmission drive train (21, 21') in a stand-alone, assembled unit enclosed in the housing assembly (10), and having at least one double universal joint (22, 22') and a surgical tool connector (4) at the distal end (3) thereof, a motor shaft coupling (11, 11') in a stand-alone, assembled unit at the proximal end thereof, and a handle assembly (9) in a stand-alone, assembled unit at the proximal end thereof,these four basic components forming a driver (1) which in a fully assembled state effectively prevents debris from access in the inner workings of the driver (1). A method (600) for disassembling the reamer driver (1) includes the steps of: a. (602) actuating a sliding release sleeve to unlock the handle assembly from the housing assembly, thereby permitting the de-encapsulation of the drive train within the housing assembly; b. (604) sliding the handle assembly off of the housing thereby effectively de-encapsulating the drive train; c. (606) pulling the motor shaft coupling out of the housing thereby freeing the drive train from axial constraint on one end; d. (610) unsnapping the drive train on the one end and lifting the one end out of the housing assembly thereby permitting removal of the drive train; and e. (612) pulling the drive train out of the housing assembly, thus removing the drive train from the housing assembly.