External Fixation Pin Holder With Spherical Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing external bone fixation devices lack the flexibility to adjust the angle at which bone pins extend from the housing or frame, requiring multiple devices for different fracture configurations and lacking a mechanism to simultaneously clamp both linear extension and angular adjustments of bone pins.
Innovation Solution
A device with a housing, pin holders, and a clamping mechanism that includes spherically rounded surfaces and deformable portions, allowing bone pins to be adjusted in angle and length by rotating clamping members, which deflect to secure the pins within the holders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed configuration housing is used for clamping bone pins, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but the adaptability to different fracture configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The pin holder is designed with a deformable portion that can be elastically deflected by the clamping member to clamp the bone pin. The spherically rounded surface allows the pin holder to be rotated to different angular positions before being clamped, making the originally static structure dynamically adjustable to different configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing with its plurality of apertures and the adjustable pin holder with spherical surface can accommodate bone pins at various angles and positions, making a single device capable of addressing multiple fracture configurations that would otherwise require different specialized devices.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate devices are used for different pin configurations, then the precision for specific fracture types is improved, but the device complexity and inventory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device provides multiple apertures in the housing and an adjustable pin holder that can be positioned at different angles, allowing a single universal device to replace multiple specialized devices while maintaining the precision needed for different fracture configurations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a simple clamping mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to simultaneously clamp linear extension and angular adjustment is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping member combines two functions into a single element: it deflects the deformable portion to clamp the bone pin linearly, and simultaneously engages the spherical surface to secure the pin holder at the desired angular position. This merging of functions achieves simultaneous linear and angular control without requiring separate complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherically rounded surface on the pin holder allows for angular adjustment while being clamped. The spherical geometry enables rotation to different angles before the clamping member secures the position, providing angular adjustment capability integrated with the linear clamping function.
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
Enables flexible adjustment of bone pin angles and lengths, allowing for precise alignment and secure fixation of bone fragments, reducing the need for multiple devices and improving treatment outcomes for various fracture configurations.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the pin holders includes a pin mounting hole, a spherically rounded surface engaging at least one of the at least one internal mounting surface within the housing
Implementation Method 2
Each of the pin holders includes a pin mounting hole, a spherically rounded surface engaging at least one of the at least one internal mounting surface within the housing and at least one deformable portion
Data Source
AI summary
An external fixation device for holding bone fragments in place includes a housing having a number of rotationally adjustable pin holders, each of which is held by a clamping member that simultaneously clamps the pin holder within an internal mounting surface of the housing and a bone pin within the pin holder. A first embodiment includes a number of internal mounting surfaces, each of which can include a single pin holder. A second embodiment includes one or two internal mounting surfaces, each of which holds a row of pin holders that is clamped in place by a single clamping member.