Surgical Forceps with Orthogonal Shoulder for Bone Fixation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional surgical forceps require multiple tools and hands to correctly position bone fragments and simultaneously arrange osteosynthesis material, complicating the surgical process.

Innovation Solution

A surgical forceps design that allows for sequential clamping of bone fragments and simultaneous osteosynthesis material positioning, featuring a shoulder for securing the material in a different direction than the clamping jaws, with spacers to maintain a minimum distance and adjust the material's position before screwing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional surgical forceps are used to clamp and fix bone fragments simultaneously with osteosynthesis material, then bone fragments can be fixed correctly positioned, but several hands and tools are still required for correct positioning and arrangement of osteosynthesis material

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrect positioning of bone fragmentsVSAvoidnumber of surgical instruments required
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines two separate surgical forceps functions into a single integrated instrument. The first forceps part with clamping section is designed to clamp bone fragments, while the second forceps part with shoulder structure is designed to hold and position osteosynthesis material. Both functions are merged into one tool that can be operated with a single hand, eliminating the need for multiple separate instruments and hands while maintaining reliable positioning of both bone fragments and osteosynthesis material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple tools are used for positioning bone fragments and arranging osteosynthesis material, then correct positioning can be achieved, but the surgical process becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrect positioning of bone fragments and osteosynthesis materialVSAvoidsurgical process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical forceps is designed as a universal instrument that performs multiple functions: clamping bone fragments, positioning osteosynthesis material, and facilitating screw insertion. The first forceps part clamps bone fragments while the second forceps part with its shoulder structure simultaneously holds and positions the osteosynthesis material. This multi-functional design simplifies the surgical process by allowing a single instrument to handle tasks that traditionally required multiple separate tools, thereby maintaining positioning precision while reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If osteosynthesis material is secured in the same direction as clamping jaws, then single-tool operation is simplified, but the minimum distance for material adjustment cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesingle-tool operationVSAvoidposition adjustment of osteosynthesis material
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a spatial dimension separation by designing the second forceps part with a shoulder that extends perpendicular to the radial direction of the first forceps part. While the clamping section acts radially to clamp bone fragments, the shoulder structure acts in a transverse direction to hold and position the osteosynthesis material. This orthogonal arrangement allows the instrument to maintain the minimum required distance for material adjustment while still enabling single-tool operation, as the two functions operate in different spatial dimensions without interfering with each other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Reduces the number of surgical instruments needed by enabling single-tool operation for bone fragment fixation and osteosynthesis material placement, enhancing surgical efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a second forceps part extending in the radial direction, which is rotatably held about a pivot point by a lock on the first forceps part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRotation:

Implementation Method 2

such that the bone fragments can be clamped between the forceps heads at the clamping sections

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

a second forceps part extending in the radial direction, which is rotatably held about a pivot point by a lock on the first forceps part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical locking: Mechanical Fastener

Data Source

PatentEP4208113B1Surgical forceps for holding two bone parts
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 MORINA GAZMEND
  • EP4208113B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4208113B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4208113B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to surgical forceps (2) for holding two bone parts of a broken bone (44) at a fracture site (63, 74), comprising a first forceps part (10) extending in a radial direction (8) and a second forceps part (12) which extends in the radial direction (8) and which, via a lock (14), is held on the first forceps part (10) rotatably in a rotation direction (9) about a pivot point (6), wherein each forceps part (10, 12) has at one end, in the radial direction (8), a forceps head (24, 28) with a clamping portion (26, 30), such that the bone parts can be clamped between the forceps heads (24, 28) at the clamping portions (26, 30), characterized in that each forceps part (10, 12) has, between the clamping portions (26, 30) and the lock (14), a shoulder (32, 34) which extends transversely with respect to the radial direction (8) and transversely with respect to the rotation direction (9) and onto which a plate (72) can be placed for osteosynthesis of the bone parts counter to the radial direction (8).