Retractable Punch Driver for Bone Anchor Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone anchor systems often leave metal fragments or tips in the body during the fixation of soft tissue to bone, which is undesirable and can cause complications.
Innovation Solution
A bone anchor delivery system with a retractable punch driver assembly and locking mechanism, using a non-metallic, bioabsorbable or synthetic material for the punch and anchor, which allows for easy installation and removal without leaving metal remnants, featuring a snap lock feature for secure suture holding and a two-part handle for stable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a stainless steel punch with a steel tip is used to drive the bone anchor into the bone, then the bone anchor can be easily driven into the bone, but metal tip fragments are left in the bone opening
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful steel tip is extracted and separated from the delivery system. The punch is designed with a retractable shaft that withdraws from the bone opening after driving the anchor, leaving no metal fragments behind. The tip is taken out of the body along with the punch shaft retraction mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The punch shaft is made retractable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position. The shaft can be driven into the bone with the anchor, then retracted back out, transforming from a static metal fragment source to a dynamic delivery tool that leaves no residue.
2Ease of operation
If the suture anchor has an external eyelet to allow sutures to be fed through, then the sutures can be easily inserted, but the eyelet is exposed in the soft muscle tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The suture insertion mechanism is nested within the hollow body of the anchor rather than having an external eyelet. The suture feeds through internal channels within the anchor structure, allowing the outer surface to remain flush with the bone without exposed components.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture insertion function is merged with the anchor body itself. Rather than a separate eyelet component, the anchor's hollow structure integrates the suture pathway, combining the anchor and suture feed functions into a single unified structure.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the punch shaft is made retractable with a locking mechanism, then no metal fragments are left in the body, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to lock automatically upon insertion and unlock automatically upon retraction, without requiring separate manual operations. The system serves itself by using the insertion and retraction motions to automatically engage and disengage the lock, reducing the need for additional control mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A bone anchor delivery system device (10) has a retractable punch driver assembly and a locking mechanism (32). The punch driver assembly has a retractable punch shaft (30) and a guide (20) for receiving the retractable punch shaft (30). The guide (20) is rotatable relative to the punch shaft (30) and the shaft has an extended length with bone penetrating tip (35) at a first end (33). The locking mechanism (32) for locking the retractable punch shaft (30) from linear movement and rotational movement relative to the guide (20) is positioned at an opposite second end. The retractable punch shaft (30) has a reduced diameter end (33) extending from the tip (35) toward a shoulder stop for receiving a releasable punch (12). The releasable punch (12) has a hollow opening for receiving the reduced diameter end (33) of the punch shaft (30). The punch (12) is profiled to pierce and form a bone anchor hole.