Non-Circular Split Ring for Adjustable Osteosynthesis Plate Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing osteosynthesis systems face challenges in providing optimal alignment and ease of installation/removal of screws, while maintaining resistance to pull-out and compression stresses parallel to the plate, often requiring predetermined screw orientation and significant force for locking, which can be incompatible with anatomical constraints and risk metal particle detachment.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a non-circular split ring that constricts around a screw passing through a non-circular hole in the plate, allowing adjustable alignment and easy installation/removal, with rotational driving ensuring secure locking without pre-defined screw orientation and minimizing detachment risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a tapered threaded head is wedged into a tapped tapered hole to achieve locking, then the locking strength is improved, but the distance between plate and bone cannot be adjusted and bone fragment return movement is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into two independent functional components: the spherical head of the screw and the spherical seat in the plate. This segmentation allows the screw to be locked in the plate through the spherical interface while maintaining independent adjustability of the distance between plate and bone, resolving the contradiction between locking strength and adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical head and spherical seat interface provides dynamic adjustability, allowing the screw to be positioned at various angles and distances relative to the plate. This dynamic capability enables both strong locking through the spherical interface and adjustable positioning to accommodate different anatomical requirements.
2Ease of operation
If holes with non-orthogonal axes are provided in the plate to achieve non-parallel screw orientation, then screw orientation flexibility is improved, but the surgeon loses freedom concerning screw orientation and predetermined orientation may be incompatible with anatomical constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical head and spherical seat interface provides dynamic adjustability, allowing the screw to be positioned at various angles and distances relative to the plate. This dynamic capability enables both strong locking through the spherical interface and adjustable positioning to accommodate different anatomical requirements.
3Strength
If the plate is brought together with the support to achieve optimal alignment, then fixation strength is improved, but coaxiality between axis of the plate and axis of the internal thread may be impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical head and spherical seat interface provides a curved, self-aligning connection that maintains coaxiality between the screw axis and plate axis even when the plate is brought into contact with the bone for optimal fixation strength. The spherical geometry naturally accommodates alignment variations.
4Reliability
If significant force is applied for locking the screw in existing systems, then locking reliability is improved, but metal particle detachment risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical head and spherical seat interface provides a curved, self-aligning connection that maintains coaxiality between the screw axis and plate axis even when the plate is brought into contact with the bone for optimal fixation strength. The spherical geometry naturally accommodates alignment variations.
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 optimal alignment and secure fixation of osteosynthesis plates to bones with adjustable distance and ease of screw installation/removal, providing robust resistance to pull-out and compression stresses while avoiding anatomical incompatibilities and metal particle detachment.
Implementation Method 1
The ring (3) can be constricted at the time of its rotational drive into the hole (2)... ensuring immobilization of the threaded screw (4)
Implementation Method 2
rotational driving ensuring secure locking
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device which is used for solidly connecting a part such as a plate to an underlying support using at least one fixing element such as a screw. According to the invention, said fixing element takes the form of a threaded rod a screw which passes through a hole housing a ring belonging to the part, such that it is screwed into the support material. The inventive device is characterized in that the above-mentioned ring is a constriction ring comprising a non-circular outer profile which co-operates with the non-circular inner profile of the hole, which is in the part. In this way, when the ring is rotated in the hole and wedged in place therein, it is constricted, thereby blocking the threaded rod against movement with respect to the plate.