Surgical Tracker Attachment With Removable Aligned Accessory Mount

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for an accessory mount for surgical instruments that allows easy installation and removal of accessories and ensures consistent alignment, as existing solutions are cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A surgical instrument attachment with a cantilever arm and accessory mount, coupled with a tracker system featuring a tracker frame and optical markers, allows for secure and removable attachment of accessories, ensuring precise alignment and tracking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If accessories are permanently fixed to the surgical instrument, then the alignment and tracking accuracy are maintained, but the ease of installation and removal of accessories is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment consistencyVSAvoidaccessory installation and removal
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment system is divided into separate components: a mounting interface on the surgical instrument and a corresponding accessory with engagement features. This segmentation allows the accessory to be easily attached and detached while maintaining alignment through the structured interface geometry, resolving the contradiction between permanent fixation and easy removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A standardized mounting interface acts as an intermediary between the surgical instrument and the accessory. This intermediate structure provides consistent alignment and positioning while enabling easy attachment and detachment, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability of alignment and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If accessories are easily removable from the surgical instrument, then the ease of operation is improved, but the alignment consistency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessory removalVSAvoidalignment consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting interface is segmented into standardized components with precise geometric features that ensure consistent alignment upon reattachment. This allows the accessory to be easily removed and reattached multiple times while maintaining reliable alignment through the structured interface design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting interface incorporates specific geometric parameters and tolerance specifications that ensure consistent alignment regardless of the number of attachment cycles. By carefully controlling the dimensional parameters of the interface features, the system maintains alignment consistency while enabling easy removal and reattachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If a tracking marker is permanently integrated into the surgical instrument, then the tracking accuracy is maintained, but the adaptability to different surgical tools is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetracking accuracyVSAvoidaccessory compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting interface is designed with universal compatibility features that allow the same interface to work with multiple different surgical tools and accessories. The standardized geometry enables a single tracking marker system to maintain accurate tracking across various surgical instruments, resolving the contradiction between tracking precision and adaptability.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a static, permanently integrated tracking marker to a dynamic, removable tracking accessory that can be adapted to different surgical tools. The standardized mounting interface ensures that despite the dynamic nature of attachment and detachment, the tracking accuracy is maintained through consistent alignment features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4729015A2Attachment and system for tracking a surgical instrument
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 STRYKER EUROPEAN OPERATIONS LIMITED
  • EP4729015A2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4729015A2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4729015A2 patent drawingFigure 3

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.