Segmented Osseous Pin with Kerfs for Controlled Breakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing osseous pins tend to loosen and move within bone tissue, leading to infection risks due to protrusion into soft tissue, which can hinder or prolong the healing process of bone fractures.

Innovation Solution

An osseous pin with a threaded front section and an unthreaded rear section, featuring kerfs for controlled breakage at the entrance site, combined with a guide sleeve for insertion and an extraction member with a conically tapering hole for safe removal, preventing pin protrusion into soft tissue and facilitating infection-free healing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the osseous pin is left protruding out of soft tissue to facilitate removal, then ease of operation is improved, but object-affected harmful factors worsen due to high tendency of infection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of removalVSAvoidinfection risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pin is divided into two functional sections: a threaded front section for bone engagement and an unthreaded rear section for insertion and removal. The pin can be broken at kerfs to leave only the threaded section in bone, separating the fixation function from the removable portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Kerfs are pre-configured in the threaded front section at specific locations (including at the level of bone tissue entrance site) to enable controlled breaking. This preliminary preparation allows the pin to be broken at the appropriate location during insertion or removal to eliminate protrusion into soft tissue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the pin is made fully threaded for secure engagement, then reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture worsens due to complexity of controlled breakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveengagement securityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The pin is segmented into a threaded front section and an unthreaded rear section. The threaded section provides secure bone engagement while the unthreaded section facilitates insertion and can be broken off. Kerfs are added to the threaded section to enable controlled breaking at specific locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the pin have different properties: the front section is threaded for engagement reliability, while the rear section is unthreaded for ease of manipulation and removal. Kerfs are locally applied at specific positions to enable controlled breakage without compromising the overall structural integrity during use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If the pin is made fully unthreaded for ease of insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability worsens due to loosening and movement within bone tissue

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of insertionVSAvoidengagement stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pin is divided into a threaded front section for stable bone engagement and an unthreaded rear section for easy insertion and removal. This segmentation allows each section to perform its optimal function without compromise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The threaded property is applied locally to the front section where bone engagement is critical, while the rear section remains unthreaded for ease of manipulation. This local differentiation of properties optimizes both reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3531944B1Osseous pin
Publication Date: 2022.11.23 SWEMAC INNOVATION
  • EP3531944B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to an osseous pin (1) for bone fracture fixation. The pin comprises a threaded front section (2) and an unthreaded rear section (3). The threaded front section is configured with two or more kerfs (4) to facilitate breaking of the pin at any one of said kerfs. The present invention also relates to a guide sleeve for use in insertion of the osseous pin (1) into bone fragments at a bone fracture and breaking of said pin at the kerf (4) closest to the entrance site of the pin into the bone fragments. The present invention also relates to an extraction member for use in extraction of the osseous pin (1) from bone fragments at a healed bone fracture and a kit, comprising said components.