Gear mechanisms for fixation frame struts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12201325-B2
Application number	US-202418599313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2024
Priority date	Jun 14, 2016
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

An adjustable length strut includes two joints, a threaded rod extending between the joints, and a tube adapted to receive the threaded rod. An actuation mechanism with gear teeth extending radially outward of the strut axis is rotatably fixed to the threaded rod. A protrusion may be coupled to an end of the threaded rod by a rotatable collar, with the protrusion extending through a slot in the tube to mark the length of the strut. A modular attachment member may be adapted to be couple to the first joint and include a worm gear adapted to engage gear teeth of the actuation mechanism. The modular attachment member may include a radiofrequency identity tag mechanism adapted to be read by a tag reader of a tool, the tool adapted to couple to the attachment member to rotate the worm gear to increase or decrease the effective length of the strut.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of correcting a deformity in a bone of a patient using an external fixation system, the method comprising:
providing the external fixation system including a first support ring, a second support ring, and a plurality of telescopic struts, each of the plurality of telescopic struts having (i) a first joint proximate a first end of the strut, (ii) a second joint proximate a second end of the strut, (iii) and a rod and a tube both extending between the first joint and the second joint, the rod configured to translate axially and rotate relative to the tube to adjust a length between the first joint and the second joint;
manually actuating a first strut of the plurality of struts so that first teeth of a first gear fixed to the rod of the first strut rotate to cause the rod of the first strut to translate axially and rotate relative to the tube of the first strut to adjust the length between the first joint and the second joint of the first joint;
after manually actuating the first strut, coupling a first module to the first strut, the first module having a second gear with second teeth, and after coupling the first module to the first strut, rotation of the second teeth of the second gear is configured to cause rotation of the first teeth of the first gear of the first strut; and
while the external fixation system is assembled to the patient, with the first support ring coupled to a first segment of the bone, the second support ring coupled to a second segment of the bone, and the plurality of telescopic struts coupling the first support ring to the second support ring, actuating the second gear with a motor to rotate the second gear, causing rotation of the first gear and further causing motorized adjustment of the length between the first joint and the second joint of the first strut.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein plurality of telescopic struts include six telescopic struts.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the six telescopic struts includes a corresponding first gear with first teeth fixed to the rod of the corresponding telescopic strut.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises providing six modules, each of the six modules being configured to be couple to a corresponding one of the six telescopic struts, the first module being one of the six modules.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein each of the six telescopic struts has a color associated therewith, and each of the six modules has a color associated therewith.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising coupling each of the six modules to a corresponding one of the six telescopic struts so that the color associated with each module matches the color associated with each corresponding strut.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first joint is a universal joint, and the second joint is a universal joint.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first gear is a cylindrical gear.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second gear is a worm gear.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motor is housed within a driver tool.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the driver tool is separate from the first module, and rotating the second teeth of the second gear includes engaging the driver tool to a bolt of the first module and rotating the bolt to rotate the second teeth.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rod includes a protrusion coupled to an end portion of the rod, the protrusion extending orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the rod.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the tube includes an elongate slot extending through inner and outer surfaces of the tube, a portion of the protrusion extending through a portion of the elongate slot.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the tube includes visual indicia on the outer surface thereof adjacent the slot.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising comparing a position of the protrusion relative to the visual indicia to determine the length of the strut.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first support ring extends along a first ring plane and has a plurality of first apertures extending through the first support ring in a direction orthogonal to the first ring plane, and the second support ring extends along a second ring plane and has a plurality of second apertures extending through the second support ring in a direction orthogonal to the second ring plane.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling a first end of an offset plate to one of the plurality of first apertures so that a second end of the offset plate extends radially outward of the first support ring.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein while the external fixation system is assembled to the patient, the first end of the first strut is coupled to the second end of the offset plate.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the first module to the first strut includes passing a fastener through the first module and into the first strut.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the fastener is a bolt or a screw.

Assignees

• Stryker European Operations Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Mannanal Subash K
• Greenberg Daniel
• Valli Patrick
• Singh Manoj Kumar
• Adalioglu Cem

Classifications

• A61B17/62

  Ring frames, i.e. devices extending around the bones to be positioned ({A61B17/6433} , A61B17/66 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/66 Primary

  {Alignment}, compression or distraction mechanisms · CPC title