Surgical Screw Rack Structure for Sterilization Fluid Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical screw racks do not efficiently facilitate the cleaning and sterilization of surgical screws, as the fluid medium cannot effectively access the screws, and the screws are difficult to remove after the process.
Innovation Solution
A surgical screw rack with a body having bores and support elements that protrude from a base surface to a bearing surface, creating spaces that allow fluid communication and support the screw head, enabling easy access and removal of the screws during cleaning or sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical screws are stored in a rack with holes for accommodation, then the screws can be held and organized, but the fluid medium cannot effectively access the screws for cleaning and sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The rack structure is segmented into multiple functional zones: support elements that hold the screw heads, bores that accommodate the screw shafts, and strategically positioned spaces between support elements. This segmentation allows the fluid medium to access different parts of the screws through multiple pathways, ensuring comprehensive cleaning and sterilization while maintaining secure screw accommodation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spaces between support elements act as intermediary channels that guide the fluid medium from the external environment to the screw shafts housed in bores. These intermediary spaces enable indirect fluid access to areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach, improving sterilization effectiveness without compromising the structural integrity of the rack.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the rack structure provides secure support for screw heads, then the screws are stable during storage, but the screws become difficult to remove after cleaning or sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The support elements are designed with specific geometric features including angled surfaces and controlled contact areas. These dynamic geometric features provide stable support during storage through friction and normal forces, but allow easy screw removal when fluid access and reduced contact area minimize adhesion and make gripping easier.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the support elements have different functional qualities: the upper surfaces provide stable support contact for screw heads during storage, while the spaced-apart configuration and guiding spaces facilitate fluid access and easy gripping for removal. This local differentiation of functional qualities resolves the contradiction between stability and ease of removal.
3Stability of the object's composition
If support elements are positioned to fully support the screw head, then maximum stability is achieved, but fluid communication to the screw shaft is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The support for each screw head is segmented into multiple discrete support elements rather than a single continuous support structure. This segmentation creates gaps and spaces between support elements that allow fluid medium to pass through and reach the screw shafts in bores, while each support element individually maintains sufficient contact to provide stable screw head support.
Solution Approach 2:
The support elements are positioned asymmetrically relative to the screw head, with specific spacing and angular arrangements. This asymmetric positioning optimizes both support stability and fluid access: the elements provide adequate support contact while leaving strategic openings for fluid communication pathways to reach the screw shafts.
Data Source
AI summary
A rack for holding at least one surgical screw is described. The rack comprises a body in which at least one bore is provided and at least two support elements surrounding the bore. The support elements protrude from a first level defined on or in the body and are configured to support the screw head on a second level above the first level. The support elements are spaced apart from each other to define spaces therebetween for enabling fluid communication between the surface and the bore. Further, a system is described comprising the above mentioned rack and one or more surgical screws accommodated in the rack.