Spinal Implant Coaxial Drive Height and Angular Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spinal implants lack the ability to fit within confined spaces and provide both height and angular adjustments, which is essential for effective spinal stabilization and alleviation of chronic back pain caused by disc degeneration or irregularities.
Innovation Solution
A lateral expanding coaxial drive spinal implant with a centrally located drive screw and adjustment nut system that allows for height adjustment and angular positioning of endplates through a carriage and actuator mechanism, enabling expansion, contraction, and angular tilting within a confined space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional spinal implants are used, then the implant structure is simple, but the implant cannot fit within confined spaces and lacks height and angular adjustment capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested structure where the actuator is positioned within the carriage, and the drive screw is positioned within the actuator. This nested arrangement allows multiple adjustment mechanisms to be integrated into a compact configuration that fits within confined spinal spaces while providing both height and angular adjustment capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is divided into distinct functional segments: the carriage for height adjustment, the actuator for angular adjustment, and the drive screw for coordinated movement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together to achieve comprehensive adjustability within a compact form factor.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the implant provides both height and angular adjustment, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the height adjustment function (carriage) and angular adjustment function (actuator) into a single integrated implant structure. The drive screw connects both mechanisms, allowing them to be adjusted independently or in coordination, thereby providing comprehensive adaptability without requiring separate implant devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive screw serves multiple functions: it drives the carriage for height adjustment, drives the actuator for angular adjustment, and can be adjusted independently for fine-tuning. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms, managing complexity while maximizing adaptability.
3Manufacturing precision
If the drive screw and adjustment nut are rotated together with no relative motion, then the endplates expand/contract, but the mechanism requires precise coordinated rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The drive screw and adjustment nut are designed to rotate together as a unified mechanism. When the surgeon rotates the drive screw, the adjustment nut automatically rotates with it without requiring separate manipulation, thereby achieving precise endplate expansion while simplifying the operational procedure.
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
Enables precise fitting and adjustment within the spinal space, providing effective spinal stabilization and alleviating chronic back pain by allowing for height adjustment and angular positioning of the implant, thus addressing the limitations of conventional spinal implants.
Implementation Method 1
The drive screw employs a carriage for aligning actuators having matching threads. The adjustment nut is situated at the end of the carriage and threaded on the drive screw.
Data Source
AI summary
A lateral expanding coaxial spinal implant. The system consists of a centrally located drive screw with lateral actuators. The actuators contain pins positioned through angular slots located on sidewalls attached to endplates. The angular slots provide angular positioning when the actuator pins translate through them. A carriage contains a drive screw for operating of the actuators. Alignment pins provided on each endplate allow the endplates to rotate laterally relative to the carriage. An adjustment nut is axially retained by the carriage, but allowed to rotate. To expand/contract the endplates, the drive screw and adjustment nut are rotated together, with no relative motion between them. To change the angle of the endplates, the drive screw is rotated.