Unitary Hinge Base for Adjustable Surgical Component Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical support systems for positioning surgical components during procedures, such as knee replacements, lack precision and ease of use due to multiple parts that can be lost, contaminated, or difficult to clean, and require complex assembly and post-surgical disassembly.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable surgical support base with a unitary construction featuring a hinge platform and a surgical component mounting portion integral with the hinge, allowing selective incremental rotation, and an adjustment mechanism for precise positioning, made from materials like plastic for compatibility with imaging systems and ease of manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate parts are used in surgical support systems, then assembly flexibility is improved, but the risk of loss, contamination, and difficulty in cleaning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (base, mounting portion, hinge, adjustment mechanism) into a single unitary support base made from a single piece of material. This eliminates the interfaces between parts where contamination could occur and simplifies cleaning or sterilization, while the integrated design maintains all necessary functional capabilities including adjustment and positioning flexibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate parts are used in surgical support systems, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the number of parts that can be lost or contaminated increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components into one unitary structure, reducing the total number of parts from several separate components to a single integrated support base. This reduces the risk of parts being lost or contaminated while the manufacturing process (injection molding) remains simple and efficient for producing the integrated component.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex assembly is required for surgical support systems, then adjustability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a hinge mechanism with an adjustment mechanism that allows the surgical component mounting portion to rotate selectively and incrementally relative to the base. This provides precise adjustability and positioning capability while the integrated design means no separate parts need to be assembled - the adjustments are made by operating the integrated hinge mechanism directly, simplifying the operation.
4Ease of repair
If post-surgical disassembly is required, then component recovery is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent describes embodiments where the unitary support base can be used as a disposable instrument - after surgical use, the entire integrated support base is discarded rather than disassembled and cleaned. This eliminates post-surgical disassembly time and simplifies surgical workflow, while the low cost of the disposable unitary structure makes this economically viable. The integrated design facilitates this disposable approach by eliminating complex assembly that would need to be reversed.
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
The support base provides high precision, reduced part count, easier assembly, and improved sterility, enabling precise and efficient positioning of surgical components during procedures, with the option for disposable use to simplify surgical workflows.
Implementation Method 1
a hinge integral with the hinge platform; and a surgical component mounting portion integral with the hinge for rotation generally about a hinge axis relative to the hinge platform
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is provided for supporting a surgical component adjacent to a bone during a surgical procedure. The apparatus includes an integral body having a hinge platform, a hinge integral with the hinge platform; and a surgical component mounting portion integral with the hinge for rotation generally about a hinge axis relative to the hinge platform. An adjustment mechanism is operably connected between the hinge platform and the surgical component mounting portion to allow selective incremental rotation of the surgical component mounting portion relative to the hinge platform.