Electric Motor Orthopedic Impactor Torque Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for creating cavities for prosthetic implants in orthopedic surgery are clumsy, inaccurate, and prone to fatigue and damage, with existing tools lacking precise control over impact force and frequency, and are either cumbersome, costly, or result in premature wear of components.
Innovation Solution
An electric motor-driven orthopedic impacting tool that uses a power source, motor, control means, and linear motion converter to apply controlled percussive impacts, allowing adjustable impact settings and reducing torque, with features like a vacuum energy storage and adjustable detent for precise control and reduced wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a physician manually hammers a broach to create a cavity, then the procedure is simple and portable, but the accuracy and precision of cavity creation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual hammering mechanical system with an electric motor-driven impacting tool. The motor provides controlled rotational motion that is converted to linear impacting motion through a mechanism, eliminating the need for manual hammering while achieving precise cavity creation through controlled electric actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms through control circuits that monitor and adjust the impacting process. The system can detect the state of the broach and adjust impact parameters accordingly, providing real-time feedback control to maintain precision while simplifying the operator's task.
2Device complexity
If a physician manually hammers a broach, then the equipment is simple and portable, but the physician suffers from fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the manual hammering action with an electric motor that provides automated impacting. The motor-driven system eliminates repetitive manual hammering motions, thereby eliminating the associated fatigue while the overall device remains relatively simple and portable.
3Device complexity
If a physician manually hammers a broach, then no additional infrastructure is needed, but the risk of damaging bone structure in unintended areas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback control mechanisms that monitor the impacting process in real-time. The control system can detect when the broach encounters resistance or deviates from the intended path and automatically adjust or terminate the impacting action, thereby preventing damage to bone structure while maintaining simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic control system that can adjust impacting parameters such as force and duration based on real-time conditions. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to varying bone densities and conditions, preventing excessive force that could damage bone structure while maintaining operational simplicity.
4Force
If pneumatic impact is used, then impacting force is sufficient, but portability is lost due to air lines and exhaust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pneumatic system with an electric motor-driven system. The motor provides sufficient impacting force through controlled rotational to linear motion conversion, eliminating the need for air lines and exhaust systems, thereby restoring portability while maintaining adequate impacting force.
5Productivity
If pneumatic impact is used, then the tool can be actuated, but precise control of impact force and frequency is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback control circuits that monitor and adjust impact parameters in real-time. The system can precisely control impact force and frequency by continuously monitoring the impacting process and making automated adjustments, achieving the precision control that pneumatic systems lack.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic control system that can precisely adjust impact parameters based on real-time conditions. The motor-driven system with electronic control allows for precise modulation of impact force and frequency, providing the level of precision control that pneumatic actuation cannot achieve.
6Manufacturing precision
If robotic arms are used for cavity creation, then accuracy and elimination of fatigue are achieved, but capital cost becomes very high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex robotic arm systems with a simpler electric motor-driven tool. The motor provides automated impacting with sufficient precision to eliminate the need for complex robotic positioning, thereby achieving accuracy while significantly reducing capital cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential automated impacting function from complex robotic systems and implements it through a simpler motor-driven mechanism. By taking out only the necessary automated impacting capability and eliminating the complex robotic positioning system, the patent achieves accuracy at a fraction of the cost.
7Force
If pneumatic compression is used, then impact can be generated, but large forces cause premature wear on components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pneumatic compression system with an electric motor-driven system. The motor provides impact force through controlled rotational motion conversion, generating sufficient impact force while producing significantly smaller forces in the transmission components, thereby reducing premature wear and improving reliability.
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 tool enables precise and controlled impacting, reducing damage and fatigue, allowing for accurate seating and removal of prosthetics with adjustable force and frequency, while minimizing wear on components and improving surgical precision.
Implementation Method 1
a linear motion converter to transform the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion
Implementation Method 2
an energy storage means, which energy storage means can include either compressed air or a vacuum
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic impacting tool comprises a motor, an energy storage chamber, a striker, and an anvil. The motor stores energy in the energy storage chamber and then releases it, causing the striker to apply a controlled force on an adapter to create a precise impact for use in a surgical setting. The tool may further comprise a combination anvil and adapter. An energy adjustment control of the tool allows a surgeon to increase or decrease the impact energy. A light source and hand grips improve ease of operation of the tool.