Surgical Drill Tracker Attachment With Cantilevered Alignment Mount
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments lack easy installation and removal of tracking markers, and there is a need for consistent alignment with the instrument to enhance tracking accuracy in surgical navigation systems.
Innovation Solution
A tracker attachment system with a cantilever arm and accessory mount design that allows for easy installation and removal of tracking markers, featuring a bushing portion, mount flange, driveshaft, and cantilever arm to facilitate secure coupling with the surgical instrument, along with a tracker frame and optical markers for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tracking marker is permanently fixed to the surgical instrument, then tracking accuracy is maintained, but installation and removal of the marker becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into separate components: an attachment body that engages with the surgical handpiece, and a tracker that can be independently attached and removed. This segmentation allows the tracker to be permanently positioned for accuracy while enabling easy installation and removal by separating the tracker from the attachment body without affecting the handpiece interface
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment body acts as an intermediary component between the surgical handpiece and the tracker. It provides a standardized interface that enables the tracker to be securely mounted for accurate tracking while allowing easy attachment and detachment of the tracker itself, resolving the contradiction between permanent fixation and ease of installation
2Device complexity
If the accessory mount is positioned close to the surgical handpiece, then the attachment remains compact, but alignment consistency with the instrument axis becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The cantilever arm extends the accessory mount in a direction perpendicular to the main instrument axis, creating a spatial separation that allows the mount to be positioned away from the handpiece while maintaining proper alignment. This dimensional approach resolves the conflict between compactness and alignment precision by utilizing spatial arrangement rather than linear positioning
3Device complexity
If the accessory socket is integrated into the attachment body, then the structure is simplified, but the tracker cannot be easily removed and repositioned
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the accessory socket from the attachment body into distinct components: the socket is integrated into the tracker assembly while the attachment body provides the mounting interface. This segmentation enables the tracker with its socket to be easily attached and removed as a unit, providing repositioning capability while maintaining structural simplicity in each component
Data Source
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AI summary
A tracker attachment for a high-speed drill device may include an attachment that includes an attachment body engageable with a surgical handpiece and a tracker operable with a surgical navigation system to track the position of the attachment. The attachment may further include a cantilever arm extending proximally of the attachment body to an accessory mount. The tracker may include an accessory socket configured for removable engagement with the accessory mount. The system may further include a sterile packaging system for storing and transporting the tracker.