Gear mechanisms for fixation frame struts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025107824-A1
Application number	US-202418978081-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2024
Priority date	Jun 14, 2016
Publication date	Apr 3, 2025
Grant date	—

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

1 . An external fixation frame system, comprising:
a first ring extending along a first plane and having a plurality of first apertures extending through the first ring in a direction orthogonal to the first plane; a second ring extending along a second plane and having a plurality of second apertures extending through the second ring in a direction orthogonal to the second plane; and a telescopic strut including:
a first joint proximate a first end of the strut, the first joint adapted to be coupled to the first ring via one of the plurality of first apertures;
a second joint proximate a second end of the strut opposite the first end, the second joint adapted to be coupled to the second ring via one of the plurality of second apertures;
a threaded rod extending between the first joint and the second joint;
a tube extending between the first joint and the second joint, the tube including a hollow portion adapted to receive the threaded rod; and
an actuator including a plurality of gear teeth, the gear teeth being exposed for manual rotation in a first operable condition of the actuator; and
a modular attachment member adapted to be removably coupled to the actuator of the strut, the modular attachment member including gear teeth adapted to engage the gear teeth of the actuator in a second operable condition of the actuator, wherein the first operable condition of the actuator is configured for manual actuation, and the second operable condition of the actuator is configured for motorized actuation.

2 . The external fixation frame system of claim 1 , wherein the telescopic strut is a first one of six telescopic struts, and the modular attachment member is a first one of six modular attachment members.

3 . The external fixation frame system of claim 2 , wherein in an assembled condition of the external fixation frame system, the six telescopic struts couple the first ring to the second ring, and the external fixation frame system is transitionable between (i) a manual mode of operation in which the actuators of the six struts are all in the first operable condition, and (ii) a motorized mode of operation in which each of the six modular attachments members is coupled to a respective one of the six struts so that the six struts are all in the second operable condition.

4 . The external fixation frame system of claim 3 , wherein the first ring includes a plurality of first extension tabs, and the second ring includes a plurality of second extension tabs.

5 . The external fixation frame system of claim 4 , wherein some of the plurality of first apertures are formed in the plurality of first extension tabs, and some of the plurality of second apertures are formed in the plurality of second extension tabs.

6 . The external fixation frame system of claim 5 , wherein in the assembled condition of the external fixation frame system, the first joints of the six struts are attached to the plurality of first extension tabs, and the second joints of the six struts are attached to the plurality of second extension tabs.

7 . The external fixation frame system of claim 2 , wherein each of the six struts includes a strut identifier.

8 . The external fixation frame system of claim 7 , wherein the strut identifier of each of the six struts is different than the strut identifier of each of the other struts.

9 . The external fixation frame system of claim 8 , wherein each of the six modular attachment members includes visual indicia.

10 . The external fixation frame system of claim 9 , wherein the visual indicia of each of the six modular attachments members is different than the visual indicia of each of the other modular attachment members.

11 . The external fixation frame system of claim 10 , wherein the visual indicia of each of the six modular attachments members has a matching correspondence to the strut identifier of a respective one of the six struts.

12 . The external fixation frame system of claim 1 , wherein the first joint includes a first borehole extending in the direction orthogonal to the first plane when the first joint is coupled to the first ring.

13 . The external fixation frame system of claim 12 , further comprising a first fastener adapted to extend through one of the first apertures in the first ring in the direction orthogonal to the first plane and into the first borehole of the first joint to rotatably fix the first joint about a longitudinal axis of the threaded rod.

14 . The external fixation frame system of claim 13 , wherein the first joint includes a second borehole extending substantially orthogonally to the first borehole, the second borehole adapted to receive a tool therein to prevent rotation of the first joint about the longitudinal axis of the threaded rod as the first fastener is coupled within the first borehole.

15 . The external fixation frame system of claim 12 , wherein the second joint includes a third borehole extending in the direction orthogonal to the second plane when the second joint is coupled to the second ring.

16 . The external fixation frame system of claim 15 , further comprising a second fastener adapted to extend through one of the second apertures in the second ring in the direction orthogonal to the second plane and into the third borehole of the second joint to rotatably fix the second joint and the tube about a longitudinal axis of the threaded rod.

17 . The external fixation frame system of claim 16 , wherein the second joint includes a fourth borehole extending substantially orthogonally to the third borehole, the fourth borehole adapted to receive a tool therein to prevent rotation of the second joint and the tube about the longitudinal axis of the threaded rod as the second fastener is coupled within the third borehole.

18 . The external fixation frame system of claim 1 , wherein the first joint is a universal joint.

19 . The external fixation frame system of claim 18 , wherein the second joint is a universal joint.

20 . The external fixation frame system of claim 1 , wherein in an assembled condition of the external fixation system, the first joint is coupled to the first ring by a first offset plate so that the first joint is positioned radially outward of the first ring and the second joint is coupled to the second ring by a second offset plate so that the second joint is positioned radially outward of the second ring.

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