Rotating Cervical Rod Connector for Angle Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cervical spine securing devices cannot adjust the angle between rods, limiting their applicability when rods are not installed in parallel, requiring separate manufacturing for different rod positions.
Innovation Solution
A rod connector device with a first clamp and a second clamp, each featuring grip grooves and expansion grooves, along with grip members and fasteners, allowing the clamps to rotate and adjust the angle between rods, enabling secure confinement and adjustment of cervical and thoracic rods during surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional rod clamp with fixed insertion holes is used to secure rods, then the rods are firmly secured, but the angle between rods cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The rod clamp incorporates a rotating mechanism that allows the second rod to be adjusted to different angles relative to the first rod. The rotation hole and rotation groove enable dynamic repositioning of the second rod while maintaining secure fixation, thus providing both stability and angle adjustability
Solution Approach 2:
The rod clamp is divided into functional segments: a body with a rotation hole, a first rod secured in a first insertion hole, and a second rod that can rotate within a rotation groove. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the second rod's angle while keeping the first rod fixed, resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability
2Reliability
If separate rod clamps are manufactured for different rod positions, then each position is optimized, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rod clamp is designed as a universal device that can accommodate various rod positions and angles through its rotation mechanism. A single clamp type can be used for multiple surgical scenarios, eliminating the need to manufacture separate clamps for different rod configurations, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining position-specific optimization
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple rod clamp structure is used, then manufacturing is easier, but angle adjustment between rods is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation mechanism consists of a rotation hole and a rotation groove with a ball joint, providing angle adjustability through a relatively simple structural design. This dynamic structure allows angle adjustment without requiring complex mechanisms, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while adding adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
A rod connector device includes a first clamp having, on one side thereof, a first grip groove and a first grip expansion groove sequentially connected to each other, a second clamp contacting the first clamp, the second clamp having, on another side thereof, a second grip groove and a second grip expansion groove sequentially connected to each other, a grip applying a binding force to a first rod and a second rod, when the first and second clamps are connected to each other so that the first and second grip expansion grooves communicate with each other, and the first and second rods are grip-secured in the first and second grip grooves.