Skull Clamp With Angled Arms And Integrated Rails

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing skull clamps lack the ability to securely and selectively attach additional surgical accessories and are not compatible with various imaging techniques and devices, limiting their functionality and versatility during surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

The design of a skull clamp with attachment regions or rails that allow for adjustable and secure mounting of accessories, featuring a V-shaped configuration with angled arms to reduce footprint and prevent collisions with imaging equipment, and constructed from radiolucent or non-magnetic materials for compatibility with imaging modalities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional skull clamp design is used, then the structure is simple, but the ability to attach accessories and compatibility with imaging equipment is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to attach accessoriesVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The skull clamp incorporates multiple attachment regions with different interface types (e.g., rails, clamps, magnetic interfaces) that can accommodate various surgical accessories and imaging equipment, allowing a single device to serve multiple functions including head fixation, accessory mounting, and imaging compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional skull clamp design is used, then the structure is simple, but compatibility with imaging techniques and devices is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with imaging equipmentVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Area of stationary object

If standard skull clamp configuration is used, then the design is conventional, but the footprint is large causing collisions with imaging equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefootprintVSAvoidcollisions with imaging equipment

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The skull clamp employs asymmetric arm configuration where the arms are angled relative to each other rather than forming a symmetric U-shape, creating an offset geometry that reduces the overall footprint and prevents collision with imaging equipment while maintaining secure head fixation capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS10285732B2Skull clamp

Publication Date: 2019.05.14 BLACK FOREST MEDICAL GMBH

AI summary

A skull clamp for patient stabilization comprises a pair of arms where the arms include upright portions and lateral portions. The upright portions and lateral portions define longitudinal axes, where the intersection of these axes defines an arm angle that is greater than about 90 degrees. In some instances the arm angle is between about 100 and about 120 degrees. In some instances the arm angle is about 110 degrees. The skull clamp can have rails integrated in the arms for attaching various accessories to the skull clamp.