Surgical Screw Container Segmented Closure for Loss Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical screw containers pose a risk of screws falling out and being lost during surgical procedures due to all screw receptacles being freely accessible after the closure part is removed, leading to difficulties in tracking and documenting used instruments and implants.

Innovation Solution

A surgical screw container with a magazine coupling member for detachable connection to a surgical screw container magazine, ensuring only one screw receptacle is accessible at a time, preventing accidental detachment and allowing for easy exchange of screws of different sizes or types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the closure part is removed to allow access to all screw receptacles, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of screws falling out

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to screw receptaclesVSAvoidrisk of screws falling out
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The closure part is divided into multiple removal positions (first removal position and second removal position), each providing access to different screw receptacles. This segmentation allows controlled access to individual screws while maintaining security for others, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If all screw receptacles are freely accessible, then productivity is improved by allowing access to all screws, but loss of substance worsens due to risk of losing screws

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to all screwsVSAvoidloss of screws
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The closure part provides selective access to different screw receptacles at different removal positions. This ensures that only the required number of screws are accessible at any time, preventing loss while maintaining productivity by allowing efficient access to needed screws without exposing all screws simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the screw container is made detachable for easy exchange, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability worsens due to risk of inadvertent detachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexchange of screw containerVSAvoidrisk of inadvertent detachment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The magazine coupling member features an asymmetric design with a coupling element on the screw container that engages with a corresponding receptacle on the magazine. The asymmetric geometry allows easy insertion and exchange while preventing inadvertent detachment, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP1893119B1Surgical screw container
Publication Date: 2014.05.07 AESCULAP AG
  • EP1893119B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1893119B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1893119B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The aim of the invention is to improve a surgical screw container comprising a receiving part and a closure part that is mounted so as to be movable thereon, the receiving part having at least two screw compartments for accommodating at least two bone screws, it being possible to bring the closure part into at least one closing position relative to the receiving part, in which position none of the screw compartments is accessible for introducing or removing a bone screw, the improvement making it practically impossible to lose screws from the screw container and this being achieved in that the closure part can be brought from the at least one closing position into at least two removal positions, in each of which only one of the screw compartments is accessible for the introduction or removal of a single bone screw.