External fixator and external fixing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019029727-A1
Application number	US-201616072847-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 1, 2016
Priority date	Jan 26, 2016
Publication date	Jan 31, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is an external fixator for reduction of a fractured or deformed bone, which includes a first frame through which the bone passes, a second frame through which the bone passes, the second frame being spaced apart from the first frame, and a variable leg connected to the second frame by a ball joint and having a first leg and a second leg at which a thread is formed respectively. The ball joint includes a ball connected to the first leg through a ball axle and having a perforation hole passing through a center thereof, a ball housing located at the second frame and having a fitting groove into which the ball is fit and a pair of insert holes formed at an outer surface thereof along a direction traversing the fitting groove to face each other, and a pin member provided on the insert hole to pass through the perforation hole. As the ball housing rotates, the first leg rotates to fasten or release screw coupling between the first leg and the second leg and thus change a length of the variable leg.

First claim

1 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . An external fixator for reduction of a fractured or deformed bone, comprising:
a first frame having a configuration through which a bone passes; a second frame having a configuration through which the bone passes, the second frame being spaced apart from the first frame; and a variable leg connected to the second frame by a ball joint, the variable leg having a first leg and a second leg, each of the first leg and the second leg having a thread thereon, wherein the ball joint includes a ball connected to the first leg through a ball axle, the ball having a perforation hole passing through a center thereof, a ball housing located at the second frame, the ball housing having a fitting groove into which the ball is accommodated and a pair of insert holes defined at an outer surface of the ball housing along a direction traversing the fitting groove to face each other, and a pin provided to extend over the pair of the insert holes to pass through the perforation hole, and wherein as the ball housing rotates, the first leg rotates to fasten or release screw coupling between the first leg and the second leg and to change a length of the variable leg.

18 . The external fixator according to claim 17 , wherein a male thread is defined at the first leg, and a female thread is defined at the second leg.

19 . The external fixator according to claim 17 , wherein the perforation hole has the same diameter as the pin at the center, and a portion of the perforation hole on a spherical surface of the ball has a greater area than a sectional area of the pin.

20 . The external fixator according to claim 17 , wherein the perforation hole has a symmetrical shape with respect to the center, and a vertical section of the symmetrical shape gradually decreases from the spherical surface toward the center.

21 . The external fixator according to claim 17 , wherein a shaft fixing device is located on the first leg to be configured to have a screw coupling with the first leg, and the shaft fixing device prevents the first leg from moving with respect to the second leg.

22 . The external fixator according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a fixing structure configured to fix a bone fragment of the bone to the first frame or the second frame, wherein the fixing structure includes a fixing pin stuck in the bone fragment and a fixture attach the fixing pin to the first frame or the second frame.

23 . An external fixing system comprising:
an external fixator having:
a first frame having a configuration through which a bone passes,
a second frame having a configuration through which the bone passes, the second frame being spaced apart from the first frame, and
a variable leg connected to the second frame by a ball joint, the variable leg having a first leg and a second leg, each of the first leg and the second leg having a thread thereon,
wherein the ball joint includes a ball connected to the first leg through a ball axle, the ball having a perforation hole passing through a center thereof, a ball housing located at the second frame, the ball housing having a fitting groove into which the ball is accommodated and a pair of insert holes defined at an outer surface of the ball housing along a direction traversing the fitting groove to face each other, and a pin provided to extend over the pair of the insert holes to pass through the perforation hole, and
wherein as the ball housing rotates, the first leg rotates to fasten or release screw coupling between the first leg and the second leg and to change a length of the variable leg; and
a detachable actuator configured to give a power to rotate the ball housing, wherein the actuator includes a motor and a power transmission rotated by the motor, and a protrusion of the power transmission is inserted into a lower space of the ball housing and the ball housing rotates by a rotation force of the actuator.

24 . The external fixing system according to claim 23 , wherein the actuator is a surgical actuator and includes a driving assembly having the motor and the power transmission, a number of each of the motor and the power transmission is the same with that of the ball housing, and the driving assembly rotates the ball housing corresponding thereto.

25 . The external fixing system according to claim 23 , wherein the actuator is a portable actuator used for progressive revision.

26 . The external fixing system according to claim 25 , wherein the portable actuator includes two driving assemblies, each of the two driving assemblies having the motor and the power transmission member.

27 . An external fixing system comprising:
an external fixator having:
a first frame having a configuration through which a bone passes,
a second frame having a configuration through which the bone passes, the second frame being spaced apart from the first frame, and
a variable leg connected to the second frame by a ball joint, the variable leg having a first leg and a second leg, each of the first leg and the second leg having a thread thereon,
wherein the ball joint includes a ball connected to the first leg through a ball axle, the ball having a perforation hole passing through a center thereof, a ball housing located at the second frame, the ball housing having a fitting groove into which the ball is accommodated and a pair of insert holes defined at an outer surface of the ball housing along a direction traversing the fitting groove to face each other, and a pin provided to extend over the pair of the insert holes to pass through the perforation hole, and
wherein as the ball housing rotates, the first leg rotates to fasten or release screw coupling between the first leg and the second leg and to change a length of the variable leg;
a detachable actuator configured to give a power to rotate the ball housing and having a motor and a power transmission rotated by the motor; and a planning server configured to select the motor to be operated and control a rotation force and a rotation direction of the motor, wherein a protrusion of the power transmission is inserted into a lower space of the ball housing and the ball housing rotates by a rotation force of the actuator.

28 . The external fixing system according to claim 27 , wherein the actuator is a surgical actuator and includes a driving assembly having the motor and the power transmission, a number of each of the motor and the power transmission is the same with that of the ball housing, and each of the driving assemblies rotates a ball housing corresponding thereto.

29 . The external fixing system according to claim 28 ,
wherein the surgical actuator further includes a motor frame at which the driving assembly is installed, and the motor frame has the same shape as the second frame and is composed of a plurality of sub frames.

30 . The external fixing system according to claim 27 , wherein the actuator is a portable actuator used for progressive revision.

31 . The external fixing system according to claim 30 , wherein the portable actuator includes two driving assemblies, each of the two driving assemblies having the motor and the power transmission member.

32 . The external fixing system according to claim 30 , wherein an operating plan of the portable actuator is set in the planning server, and the planning server controls the portable actuator according to the operating plan.

Assignees

• Kyungpook Nat Univ Ind Academic Coop Found

Inventors

• Park Ilhyung
• Oh Changwuk
• Lee Hyunwoo
• Joung Sanghyun
• Park Chulwoo

Classifications

• A61B17/6416

  with non-continuous, e.g. hinged, pin-clamp connecting element (A61B17/6425, A61B17/6441 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/645

  comprising a framework (A61B17/6425, A61B17/6441 take precedence) · CPC title

• 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

• A61B2090/031

  torque limiting · CPC title