Universal Surgical Saw Guide with Cam Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cutting guides used in orthopedic surgery, such as those for total knee arthroplasty, face challenges in efficiently and accurately assembling and disassembling onto bone pins, which prolongs the surgical procedure and increases the risk of alignment deviations.
Innovation Solution
The development of saw and drill guides with a clamping slot mechanism featuring cams and a rotating knob allows for quick and secure attachment to bone pins, enabling efficient assembly and disassembly, and includes a design that prevents over-tightening and wear, utilizing a clamping slot that adjusts to fit various bone pin sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fastening elements (screws) are used to attach the cutting guide to bone pins, then the guide can be securely fixed, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional screw-based mechanical fastening system with a cam-based locking mechanism. The cam profile converts rotational motion into linear clamping motion, enabling quick attachment and detachment of the cutting guide to bone pins without requiring multiple fastening operations. This substitution maintains secure fixation while dramatically reducing assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting guide incorporates a dynamic clamping mechanism with movable jaws that can be quickly adjusted and locked into position. The cam-actuated system allows the guide to transition from an open to a firmly clamped state in a single rotational motion, providing both speed and reliability in the attachment process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cutting guide is designed with a fixed clamping structure, then the manufacturing is simpler, but it cannot adapt to various bone pin sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic clamping mechanism with movable jaws that can adjust their position to accommodate different bone pin diameters. The cam-actuated system allows the jaws to be positioned for various pin sizes and then locked in place, providing versatility without requiring multiple fixed-size guides.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting guide is designed as a universal fixture that can attach to bone pins of varying sizes through its adjustable clamping mechanism. The same guide structure serves multiple functions by accommodating different pin dimensions, eliminating the need for multiple specialized guides for different pin sizes.
3Reliability
If multiple fastening elements are used to secure the guide, then the fixation is more reliable, but the assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces multiple screw fastening elements with a single cam-actuated locking mechanism. This single mechanism performs the function of multiple fasteners by providing both clamping force and positional locking through the cam profile, thereby simplifying the assembly operation while maintaining or improving fixation reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple fastening elements into a single integrated cam-based system. The cam mechanism simultaneously provides clamping, positioning, and locking functions that would otherwise require separate fasteners, reducing the number of assembly steps and improving ease of operation.
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
This solution significantly reduces the time and effort required for attaching guides to bone pins, enhances precision, and minimizes the risk of alignment errors, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of bone cuts during orthopedic surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
A clamp locking mechanism is assembled to the guide portion and has one or more cams in contact with the attachment portion so as function to adjust the size of the clamping slot as the one or more cams are rotated
Data Source
AI summary
A saw guide for guiding a surgical saw or drill includes a guide portion having one or more guide slots, the one or more guide slot or hole configured to guide a surgical saw or drill. The guide portion has an attachment portion forming a clamping slot between the guide portion and the attachment portion. A clamp locking mechanism is assembled to the guide portion and has one or more cams in contact with the attachment portion. An alignment system for surgical bone cutting procedures is provided that includes bone pins inserted within a virtual plane relative to a cut plane to be created on a subject's bone. One of the aforementioned guides is configured to be received onto the bone pins, one or more guide slots within said guide, said one or more guide slots configured to guide a surgical saw to make surgical cuts on the subject's bone.