Rigid Mould Segmentation for Medical Spacer Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional moulds for joint spacer devices made of elastically deformable materials like silicone do not produce spacers with a precise shape, require finishing, and can lead to allergic reactions due to residual antibiotic traces from previous uses.
Innovation Solution
A mould made from elastically undeformable plastic material with a rigid container body and cover, designed to form joint spacers with minimal finishing needs and prevent cross-contamination by using removable engagement means and weakening lines for easy separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional elastically deformable moulds (silicone) are used, then the mould is easy to manufacture and remove, but the spacer device cannot be obtained with a definite shape requiring additional machining
Solution Approach 1:
The mould is divided into multiple separable parts (first mould part and second mould part) that can be detached from each other. This segmentation allows the rigid mould to release the precisely formed spacer device without compromising the shape precision achieved during molding, while also facilitating easier manufacture of the mould components themselves.
2Productivity
If traditional moulds are reused after washing, then costs are reduced, but residual antibiotic traces may cause allergic reactions in patients
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid mould is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after a single use. This eliminates the risk of allergic reactions from residual antibiotic traces by ensuring the mould is never reused, while the low cost of the disposable mould makes this approach economically viable compared to the risks and costs associated with reuse and sterilization.
3Ease of operation
If rigid container body and cover are made separable, then spacer device extraction is facilitated, but the mould structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid mould is segmented into a first mould part and a second mould part (cover) that can be separated from each other. This segmentation directly facilitates the extraction of the spacer device by allowing the cover to be removed, while the segmentation itself is implemented through simple geometric features rather than complex mechanisms, thus not significantly increasing overall mould structure complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a mould for forming a joint spacer device or a part thereof, comprising: at least one rigid container body (2) provided with at least one first perimeter profile (5) delimiting at least one first moulding surface (6) intended to shape at least one first portion of the joint spacer or a part thereof; at least one rigid cover (3) provided with at least one second perimeter profile (7) delimiting at least one second moulding surface (8) intended to shape at least one second portion of the joint spacer or a part thereof; the rigid container body (2) and the rigid cover (3) are engageable in a removable manner to each other, at the first and the second perimeter profile (5, 7), so as to delimit a cavity (4) corresponding to the external configuration of the joint spacer or the part thereof. The mould comprises weakening means (18) on the rigid container body (2) and on the rigid cover (3) so that they are separable into parts to allow the extraction of one spacer device or one part thereof, moulded therebetween.