Surgical Drill Chuck with Reverse Rotation and Depth Gauge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical drills used in orthopedic surgeries face challenges in safely forming bores in thick bones, as they often require significant manual force for drill bit removal, which can damage the bone or drill bit, and existing depth measurement methods are cumbersome and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A surgical drill with a chuck that transfers forward rotational motion to the drill bit when engaging with bone, then reverses the motion to facilitate easy withdrawal and includes a depth gauge integrated with the drill bit assembly for precise bore measurement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the drill bit is pressed through thick bone with significant manual force for removal, then the drill bit can be withdrawn from the bone, but the bone may be damaged or the drill bit may be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrill bit removalVSAvoidbone damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies reverse rotation to the drill bit for withdrawal. The drill bit is rotated in the opposite direction (reverse rotation) after penetrating the bone, which reduces the axial force required for removal and prevents damage to both the bone and drill bit. This inversion of the rotation direction solves the contradiction between ease of removal and prevention of damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If the drill bit continues rotating after penetrating the bone, then the drilling action is continuous, but the soft tissue adjacent to the bone may be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling continuityVSAvoidsoft tissue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a depth sensing mechanism that provides feedback when the drill bit penetrates the bone. Upon detecting bone penetration, the system automatically stops the rotation of the drill bit, preventing damage to adjacent soft tissue while maintaining drilling efficiency. The feedback mechanism triggers the stop action based on the penetration event.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If a separate depth gauge tool is used for bore measurement, then the depth can be measured, but the procedure becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebore depth measurementVSAvoidmeasurement time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the depth gauge function directly into the drill bit assembly. The depth measurement capability is merged with the drilling tool itself, eliminating the need for separate measurement tools. This integration allows for immediate depth measurement during the drilling procedure, reducing time loss and procedural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9186156B2Surgical drill with drive shaft and drill bit that, after disengaging the drill bit from the drive shaft, allows the drill bit to be driven in reverse

Publication Date: 2015.11.17 STRYKER CORP

AI summary

A chuck assembly for use with a surgical drill. The chuck assembly is configured to receive a drill bit. The chuck assembly includes an input drive shaft and a linear clutch coupled to the input drive shaft. The linear clutch has an inner coupler. The linear clutch transfers rotary motion from the input drive shaft to the inner coupler when the inner coupler is exposed to a displacing force that causes the inner coupler into engagement with the input drive shaft. A rotary clutch is coupled to the input drive shaft. The rotary clutch has an outer coupler. The rotary clutch transfers rotary motion from the input drive shaft to the outer coupler only when the input drive shaft rotates in a reverse direction.