Orthopedic Drill Bit With Progressively Wider Flutes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drill bits used for drilling holes in living bone often result in oblong, oversized, and misaligned holes, leading to excessive plunging through the back side of the bone, which causes damage to vital soft tissues and increases healing time, and are costly due to wasteful manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A drill bit designed with novel cutting and chip removal features, including a sharp point for precise starting, progressively wider flutes for unrestricted chip removal, and a mechanical crimping method for cost reduction, preventing side-cutting and plunging by ensuring end-cutting only and maintaining chip flow, while reducing material waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional drill bits with tapered flutes and sharp leading edges are used, then chip removal is facilitated and cutting efficiency is improved, but side-cutting occurs creating oblong and oversized holes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying only the leading edges of the flutes through selective dulling, while maintaining the overall flute structure for chip removal. This localized modification prevents side-cutting at the critical entry point without compromising the chip evacuation capability of the flute geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by pre-dulling the leading edges of the flutes before use. This anticipatory modification counteracts the natural tendency of sharp edges to engage and side-cut the bone, thereby preventing the creation of oblong holes before the drilling operation begins.
2Manufacturing precision
If drill bits with excessive cutting pressure are used to ensure stable drilling, then hole accuracy is improved, but plunging through the back side of the bone occurs causing tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the flute leading edges by dulling them, which alters the cutting mechanics. This parameter modification reduces the tendency to plunge by distributing cutting forces more evenly, allowing accurate drilling without excessive pressure that could cause breakthrough and tissue damage.
3Strength
If solid stainless steel drill bits are manufactured as single pieces, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to material waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the drill bit into two separate components: a reusable body and a disposable flute assembly. This allows the expensive stainless steel body to be retained and reused, while only the consumable flute portion is discarded after use, significantly reducing material waste and manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements discarding and recovering by separating the valuable stainless steel body from the consumable flute component. The body is recovered and reused for subsequent drill bits, while the flutes are discarded after a single use, optimizing resource utilization and reducing overall material consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic drill bit includes a cutting head formed to include diametrically opposed cutting lips leading to a central point and away to a radiused periphery to center said bit. The drill includes flutes extending from a cutting end, said flutes having a dulled periphery to prevent out of round holes. The flute design increases in width progressively from the tip up the shank, to maintain an adequate and unrestricted space for chips to easily move upward, preventing the chips from being compressed into a smaller opening while maintaining the tapered depth of the flutes for strength.