Spring-Integrated Drill Guide Sleeve for Bone Plate Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drill guide sleeves for bone plates are prone to losing or damaging small parts, such as springs, during reprocessing and sanitation, and do not adequately protect the bone plate during drilling operations, especially when drilling offset or neutral holes.
Innovation Solution
A drill guide assembly featuring a drill guide sleeve with an integrated spring and a design that allows the distal end of the drill guide to extend variably from the sleeve, protected by a rounded end, which aligns with the plate hole and prevents damage to the bone plate during drilling, and includes features for easy cleaning and secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional drill guide sleeve is used, then the structure is simple, but small parts such as springs are prone to being lost or damaged during reprocessing and sanitation
Solution Approach 1:
The spring component is integrated into the drill guide sleeve body, forming a unified structure where the spring is received within an internal cavity of the sleeve. This merging eliminates the spring as a separate removable part, preventing loss during reprocessing while maintaining the functional complexity of the biasing mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drill guide tube extends fully from the sleeve, then drilling offset holes is enabled, but the bone plate may be damaged during drilling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide tube is designed to be movable relative to the drill guide sleeve, biased by an integrated spring to extend distally. The tube can dynamically adjust its position - extending when needed for offset hole drilling and retracting when the rounded end needs to engage the plate hole for protection, providing both versatility and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded end of the drill guide sleeve is positioned to engage the plate hole before drilling begins, creating a protective interface that prevents direct contact between the drill bit and bone plate. This prior cushioning protects the bone plate from damage while allowing the drill guide tube to extend for offset drilling.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the drill guide tube is fixed in position, then alignment is precise, but the drill guide cannot adapt to different drilling scenarios such as offset and neutral holes
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide tube transitions from a fixed to a movable design, allowing it to extend and retract along the longitudinal axis. This dynamic capability enables adaptation to different drilling scenarios (offset holes when extended, neutral holes when retracted) while maintaining alignment precision through the guiding structure and rounded end engagement.
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
The solution provides reliable protection for bone plates during drilling, minimizes part loss, and facilitates the drilling of offset and neutral holes with enhanced ease and precision, ensuring consistent alignment and angle control.
Implementation Method 1
a spring configured to engage the ring and distal end of the drill guide body; wherein the spring is configured to bias the drill guide tube in a distal direction so that a distal end of the drill guide tube extends from the sleeve distal end
Data Source
AI summary
A drill guide assembly configured to engage a drill bit, including: a drill guide including: a drill guide tube including a ring and a flared end at a proximal end of the drill guide tube; a drill guide body with a central opening configured to receive the drill guide tube and a tube stop configured to engage the flared end; and a spring configured to engage the ring and distal end of the drill guide body; and a drill guide sleeve with a central opening configured to receive the drill guide including a ring stop configured to engage the ring and a sleeve distal end configured to engage a plate hole on a bone plate, wherein the spring is configured to bias the drill guide tube in a distal direction so that a distal end of the drill guide tube extends from the sleeve distal end.