Telescopic Surgical Screw With Viscoelastic Bushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional telescopic orthopedic screws lack effective mechanisms to limit collapse and stabilize the longitudinal length variation, leading to instability and potential failure during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a telescoping screw system with a proximal sleeve and distal shaft that utilize reconfigurable bushings and positioning screws to limit the longitudinal travel, ensuring stability by creating a friction fit and wedging mechanism within the sleeve, preventing excessive length adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If telescopic screw sections are allowed to move freely to adjust length, then adaptability is improved, but stability deteriorates due to excessive length variation
Solution Approach 1:
The bushing material is selected to exhibit viscoelastic behavior, changing its physical parameters (stiffness, damping) based on the compression force applied during insertion. This allows the bushing to provide progressive resistance that stabilizes the telescopic sections without restricting necessary length adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
A bushing element is introduced as an intermediary component between the telescopic screw sections. This bushing mediates the interaction between moving sections, providing friction and viscoelastic damping to limit excessive length variation while allowing controlled adjustment.
2Stability of the object's composition
If collapse limitation mechanisms are added to stabilize length, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bushing is designed to be self-compressing through viscoelastic deformation during insertion, automatically providing collapse limitation without requiring external actuation mechanisms. The material itself serves the stabilization function through its inherent damping properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The viscoelastic properties of the bushing material allow it to automatically adjust its stiffness and damping characteristics based on the compression force, providing intelligent collapse limitation without complex control systems or additional actuation mechanisms.
3Stability of the object's composition
If friction fit is increased to prevent excessive movement, then stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The bushing provides dynamic friction characteristics that change during insertion. Initially, the viscoelastic material deforms to allow easy insertion with low friction, then gradually increases resistance as compression increases, finally providing stable friction fit to prevent excessive movement during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction characteristics of the bushing are not static but change dynamically with compression force. The viscoelastic material transitions from a compliant state during insertion to a stiffer state during operation, automatically adjusting friction to balance ease of insertion with stability during use.
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
This solution enhances the stability and reliability of the telescopic screw system by restricting the longitudinal movement, allowing for secure fixation and minimizing the risk of screw failure during orthopedic procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The reconfigurable bushing may be formed from a viscoelastic material
Implementation Method 2
utilize reconfigurable bushings and positioning screws to limit the longitudinal travel, ensuring stability by creating a friction fit
Data Source
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AI summary
A telescopic surgical screw comprising: (a) a first screw section including a distal threaded section and a proximal section; (b) a second screw section including a proximal threaded section and a distal section; and, (c) a reconfigurable bushing configured to be received within at least one of the first screw section and the second screw section to limit travel of the first screw section with respect to the second screw section, where at least one of the first screw section and the second screw section includes an internal cavity sized to receive the reconfigurable bushing and where the first screw section is configured to be repositionable along a length of the second screw section to change an overall length of the surgical screw.