One-Piece Joint Implant with Wave-Like Spring Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional artificial joint implants experience friction and abrasion issues due to sliding components, leading to potential damage and complications during implantation and post-surgical wear, and require multiple parts that can be mispositioned or misplaced.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece joint implant with equidistantly arranged wave-like coiled spring elements connects bone contact elements, eliminating the need for sliding pairs and allowing for patient-specific design, reduced production complexity, and enhanced biocompatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional joint implants use sliding components with articular surfaces, then the joint can provide movement between bone attachment elements, but friction and wear occur leading to particle release and tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional sliding mechanical joint system with a spring-based elastic connection system. The spring element connects the first and second bone attachment elements without requiring sliding surfaces, thereby eliminating friction and wear while maintaining joint mobility through elastic deformation and recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of joint movement from sliding friction-based motion to elastic deformation-based motion. By using a spring element with controlled stiffness, the system achieves movement through elastic compliance rather than sliding contact, fundamentally altering the mechanical interaction between joint components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional joint implants use multiple separate components, then the joint can be designed with specialized functions, but the components can be mispositioned or misplaced during implantation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the first bone attachment element, the spring element, and the second bone attachment element into a single integrated implant component. This unified structure eliminates the risk of component mispositioning or loss during surgery while maintaining the specialized functions of bone attachment and elastic joint movement through the integrated design.
3Ease of operation
If conventional joint implants use sliding surfaces to enable movement, then the joint can articulate between bones, but wear particles are released into the patient's body causing organ damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the sliding contact mechanical system with an elastic deformation system. The spring element enables joint articulation through bending and elastic recovery rather than sliding friction, completely preventing the generation of wear particles that would otherwise be released into the patient's body.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional joint implants require bone removal to accommodate implant components, then the implant can be installed, but natural bone substance is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines all joint components into a single implant unit with integrated bone attachment surfaces, eliminating the need for separate component assembly and the extensive bone removal required to accommodate multiple discrete implant parts. The unified design allows installation with minimal bone preparation.
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 solution significantly reduces abrasion and friction, simplifies implantation, preserves natural bone, and minimizes the risk of ingrowth and fluid penetration, while allowing for customizable and cost-effective production of joint implants with improved stability and mobility.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one solid body joint comprises at least one spring element... the at least one spring element comprises two or more wave-shaped coiled spring elements
Implementation Method 2
the at least one spring element comprises two or more wave-shaped coiled spring elements arranged equidistantly or substantially equidistantly from one another
Data Source
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AI summary
In order to improve the bodily compatibility of an artificial joint implant comprising a first bone contact element that can be placed on or secured to a first bone or bone part, and a second bone contact element that can be placed on or secured to a second bone or bone part, wherein the first and the second bone contact element are arranged such that they can move relative to one another and are coupled together in an articulated manner, it is suggested that said joint implant is made as a single piece.