Surgical Screw Rack Structure for Sterilization Access and Easy Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical screw racks do not efficiently facilitate the cleaning or sterilization of surgical screws, as the fluid medium may not fully access the screws, and the screws are not easily removable after the process.
Innovation Solution
A surgical screw rack with bores and support elements that allow the screws to be accommodated in a hanging fashion, enabling fluid communication between the surface and the bore, and allowing easy access and removal of the screws.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical screws are stored in a rack with closed compartments, then the screws are protected and organized, but the fluid medium cannot fully access the screws for effective cleaning or sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The rack structure is segmented into multiple bores that are open to the surface, allowing fluid medium to access the screw shafts. The support elements are also segmented and spaced apart to define spaces for fluid communication. This segmentation enables thorough cleaning while maintaining organizational function.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack design transitions from closed 3D compartments to an open surface structure where bores and support elements create fluid pathways. The hanging arrangement of screws introduces a vertical dimension that exposes all surfaces to fluid flow, improving accessibility without significantly increasing structural complexity.
2Ease of operation
If surgical screws are tightly secured in the rack, 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 to dynamically adapt to the screw head size and shape. The spaced-apart configuration allows the support elements to flexibly contact different portions of the screw head, providing stable holding during storage while enabling easy removal when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the rack have different functional qualities: the bores provide localized support for the screw shaft, while the spaced support elements provide localized contact points for the screw head. This local differentiation allows the rack to simultaneously achieve stable holding and easy removal.
3Reliability
If the rack uses a simple flat surface design, then the rack is easy to manufacture, but the fluid medium cannot effectively reach the screw shafts for proper sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The flat surface is segmented into multiple bores and support elements that create fluid pathways. This segmentation allows the fluid medium to reach the screw shafts effectively while keeping the overall manufacturing process relatively simple, as the features can be created through standard machining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack surface effectively becomes porous through the arrangement of bores and spaced support elements, allowing fluid penetration to all necessary surfaces. This porous-like structure achieves complete sterilization access without requiring complex porous material fabrication.
Data Source
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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.