Surgical rod bending system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10219852-B2
Application number	US-201715467751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2017
Priority date	Dec 5, 2011
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

System and method for automatically bending a surgical rod are provided. The system includes a linear movement device configured to axially feed the surgical rod, a rotational movement device configured to rotate the surgical rod as it is axially fed, and a bending device including a roller to impose bending forces against the rod. The rod is free from contact with the bending device after it is axially fed past the roller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for bending a surgical rod, the method comprising:
providing an automated bending system with a bending roller and a cutting device;
feeding the surgical rod across the bending roller in a first axial direction along a first axis;
rotating the surgical rod relative to the bending roller;
forcing the bending roller against the surgical rod, along a linear path, in a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction to bend a portion of the surgical rod;
providing a contact-free space adjacent the bending roller, the contact-free space extending 360 degrees around the first axis to enable rotation of the surgical rod about the first axis in the contact-free space after the surgical rod is fed past the bending roller to allow for unlimited rotation of the surgical rod about the first axis independent of previous bends made in the surgical rod; and
fixing the bending roller relative to the cutting device so that movement of one of the cutting device and the bending roller results in movement of the other of the cutting device and the bending roller.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting bend commands to the automated bending system.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising determining a desired curvature of the surgical rod and defining the bend commands based on the desired curvature.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein determining the desired curvature of the surgical rod includes optically scanning a surrogate rod.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising physically manipulating the surrogate rod to the desired curvature and applying identifiers to the surrogate rod prior to optically scanning the surrogate rod.

6. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein determining the desired curvature of the surgical rod includes digitally mapping points of the surgical rod using a digitizing probe.

7. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein defining the bend commands based on the desired curvature includes mathematically fitting curves to a digital three-dimensional model of the surgical rod using a spline fit.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising cutting the surgical rod once a desired length has been fed across the bending roller.

9. A method for bending a surgical rod, the method comprising:
providing an automated bending system with a bending roller and a cutting device;
feeding the surgical rod across the bending roller in a first axial direction along a first axis;
rotating the surgical rod relative to the bending roller;
forcing the bending roller against the surgical rod, along a linear path, in a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction to bend a portion of the surgical rod;
providing a contact-free space adjacent the bending roller to enable rotation of the surgical rod about the first axis in the contact-free space after the surgical rod is fed past the bending roller to allow for unlimited rotation of the surgical rod about the first axis independent of previous bends made in the surgical rod; and
fixing the bending roller relative to the cutting device so that movement of one of the cutting device and the bending roller results in movement of the other of the cutting device and the bending roller.

10. The method of claim 9 and further comprising feeding the surgical rod through a rod passage of a rod guide that terminates adjacent the bending roller; and wherein feeding the surgical rod across the bending roller includes feeding the surgical rod across the bending roller as the surgical rod exits the rod passage.

11. A method for bending a surgical rod, the method comprising:
providing an automated bending system with a bending roller and a cutting device;
feeding the surgical rod across the bending roller in a first axial direction along a first axis;
rotating the surgical rod relative to the bending roller;
forcing the bending roller against the surgical rod, along a linear path, in a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction to bend a portion of the surgical rod;
providing a contact-free space adjacent the bending roller to enable rotation of the surgical rod about the first axis in the contact-free space after the surgical rod is fed past the bending roller to allow for unlimited rotation of the surgical rod about the first axis independent of previous bends made in the surgical rod;
moving the cutting device in a third axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction and opposite the second axial direction to cut the surgical rod; and
fixing the bending roller relative to the cutting device so that movement of one of the cutting device and the bending roller results in movement of the other of the cutting device and the bending roller.

Assignees

• Dignity Health

Inventors

• Crawford Neil R
• Theodore Nicholas
• Reyes Philip M
• Newcomb Anna G U S
• Baek Seungwon

Classifications

• A61B17/7013

  the shape of the element being adjustable before use (adjustable length plates A61B17/7014) · CPC title

• B21F23/005

  Feeding discrete lengths of wire or rod · CPC title

• B21D7/08

  by passing between rollers or through a curved die · CPC title

• B21D7/022

  over a stationary forming member only · CPC title

• B21F45/008

  of medical instruments, e.g. stents or corneal rings · CPC title