Patent Application
20230285061
This application relates to a system for providing fasteners, such as screws, to a powered medical device, such as a surgical screwdriver. The system can comprise a screwdriver attachment that serially and/or reciprocally loads screws onto the distal end of the screwdriver shaft so that each screw may be inserted into a patient with a more efficient workflow.
In current surgical procedures, the time required for a surgeon to sequentially insert screws into the patient is increased by the time for each screw to be loaded onto the driver bit of a surgical screwdriver by a technician/nurse on the back table. Besides the operation of loading each screw, time is also lost since the screwdriver must be passed from the surgeon to the technician/nurse to load or reload the screw and from the technician/nurse back to the surgeon after loading the screw.
There is a need to improve surgical workflow efficiency due to the high cost of operative time along with patient risk that increases with extended time under general anesthesia. Improving surgical workflow efficiency can reduce the time of an operation or other procedure, which can provide significant benefits. Reducing the operation or procedure time reduces the time a patient can be exposed to infections. Additionally, reducing the time of an operation or procedure allows the doctor, medical staff, and space (e.g., operating room) to be available for other procedures and tasks. Surgeons may have a financial incentive to improve their workflow efficiency. The time savings benefits can be immediately apparent to a surgeon at low upfront cost and do not need expensive studies or trials to prove effectiveness. This reduces development cost and risk.
The screw delivery system described herein can address one or more of the aforementioned concerns, or other concerns. In some embodiments, an apparatus forming part of the screw delivery system or power screwdriver comprises a housing configured to be attached to the screwdriver body. A shaft assembly can be coupled with the housing. The shaft assembly can have a proximal end and a distal end. A screw cartridge can be coupled with the housing. The screw cartridge comprises a cartridge barrel. The cartridge barrel can have a plurality of barrel chambers therein each configured to hold a screw, wherein the distal end of the shaft assembly can be substantially coaxially aligned with one of the plurality of the barrel chambers.
In some embodiments, the housing of the apparatus has a cavity, which can be an open cavity (e.g., open to the ambient environment). The screw cartridge and the shaft assembly can be disposed in the cavity of the housing. In some embodiments, the cartridge barrel of the apparatus can be cylindrically shaped with a barrel centerline generally parallel to a longitudinal direction of the screw delivery system. The plurality of barrel chambers can be formed through the cartridge barrel and can be uniformly distributed angularly within the cartridge barrel wherein the distance from each barrel chamber to the barrel centerline can be equal.
In some embodiments, the cartridge barrel is rectangularly shaped with a barrel centerline generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of barrel chambers are formed through the cartridge barrel with centerline of each barrel chamber generally parallel to the cartridge barrel centerline, distances between adjacent barrel chambers being equal.
In some embodiments, the screw cartridge of the apparatus comprises a cylindrical shaped revolver cam substantially coaxial with the cartridge barrel. The revolver cam can have curved grooves thereon and/or a cartridge shaft that can be substantially coaxial with the cartridge barrel. Each end of the cartridge shaft can be removably coupled with a snap feature disposed about the housing.
In some embodiments, the shaft assembly of the apparatus comprises a distal shaft at the distal end and a proximal shaft at the proximal end. The distal shaft can have a handle, such as a loading handle, sleeved thereon. The handle can allow the distal shaft to rotate therein. A cam-pin can be coupled to the handle and engaged with curved grooves on the revolver cam, wherein moving the handle proximally to a retracted position and then distally to a neutral position can cause the cartridge barrel to rotate around the barrel centerline to a position so that the shaft assembly is substantially coaxially aligned with the next barrel chamber in the cartridge barrel. In some embodiments, a compression spring can be sleeved on the distal shaft adjacent and proximal to the handle biasing the handle toward the distal end on the distal shaft.
In some embodiments, a port can be disposed about the distal end of the housing. The port can be substantially coaxial with the drive shaft assembly allowing a screw to be delivered through the port.
In some embodiments, the distal shaft and the proximal shaft can be extendably coupled by a shaft coupler so that the shaft assembly is extendable lengthwise but rigid rotation wise, wherein moving the handle distally to a forward position pushes the distal end of the distal shaft at least partially into the port.
In some embodiments, each screw can be configured to be held in a barrel chamber is pre-assembled with a drive bit. A shaft-to-drive-bit coupler can be disposed in the port. Both the inner surface of the port and the outer surface of the shaft-to-drive-bit coupler can be correspondingly (e.g., cylindrically) shaped, allowing the shaft-to-drive-bit coupler to rotate within the port. The shaft-to-drive-bit coupler can have a prism shaped internal channel that matches an external prism shape of the distal end of the distal shaft and an external prism shape of the drive-bit. In some embodiments, the prism shape is a hexagon shape.
In some embodiments, the proximal shaft can be coupled with at least one bearing, wherein the at least one bearing is coupled to the housing allowing the proximal shaft freely rotating therein. The proximal end of the proximal shaft can be flat shaped.
In some embodiments, the apparatus can be separably attached to a power screwdriver, power drill, or other surgical or medical handpiece, wherein the power screwdriver further comprises a handgrip, a screwdriver body, and a control panel comprising a user input and a light signal.
In certain aspects, the present technology comprises a method for delivering a plurality of screws, such as sequentially or serially. The method can comprise moving a handle that is connected to a cartridge and shaft module to a forward position, thereby moving one of a plurality of screws into a forward position, and wherein the cartridge and shaft module is detachably integrated with a power screwdriver disclosed above. The method can further comprise inserting the screw into a substrate, moving the handle proximally to a retracted position, moving the handle distally to a neutral position, repeating the steps of moving the handle to the forward position, inserting the respective screw, moving the handle proximally to the retracted position, and moving the handle distally to the neutral position. The method can further comprise determining that screw cartridge is exhausted (e.g., by determining that no screw comes out of the distal end of the port), and replacing the screw cartridge with another of the screw cartridge.
In certain aspects, a disclosed surgical screw delivery system comprises a housing having a longitudinal axis and a chamber, a handle assembly having a handle and a shaft wherein the handle assembly is configured to slide in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position, a cartridge having a plurality of barrel chambers each of which is configured comprising a screw and a bit wherein the cartridge is configured to be removably received in the chamber. The surgical screw delivery system is configured such that each time the handle is moved from the first position to the second position the cartridge is rotationally indexed from one of the barrel chambers to another of the barrel chambers being aligned with the shaft.
Certain features of this disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. The illustrated embodiments are intended to illustrate, but not to limit the embodiments. Various features of the different disclosed embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments, which are part of this disclosure.
Various features and advantages of the disclosed fastener delivery technology will become more apparent from the following description of the several specific embodiments illustrated in the figures. These embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the disclosure. However, this disclosure should not be limited to only the illustrated embodiments. The features of the illustrated embodiments can be modified, combined, removed, and/or substituted as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon consideration of the principles disclosed herein. No features, structure, or step disclosed herein is essential or indispensable.
Referring to
As shown in
Inside the screwdriver body 130 can be a chamber 132 holding a motor 134, which can be powered by the batter pack 116 and operated by the operation switch 126 and control buttons 122 on the control panel 120 working with the PCBs 112. There may have gripping features in the motor chamber 132 for tightly holding the motor 134 so that during operation the motor 134 does not move rotationally or longitudinally relative to the screwdriver body 130. A motor shaft 136 extends out from the motor 134 at the distal end and couples to the drive shaft assembly 260 with a shaft coupler 138.
As shown in
Referring to
Details of the screw cartridge 220 and the drive shaft assembly 260 will be further described in the subsequent sections.
Referring to
As shown in
In
A housing cap 202 is shown disposed at the distal end of the housing 210 with a port 204 protruding distally. In some embodiments, the port 204 comprises a loading port. The port 204 can have an internal port channel 205. The internal port channel 205 can be generally parallel to the longitudinal direction 102 and through the length of the port 204 and the housing cap 202. A shaft-to-drive-bit adaptor 206 is disposed in the internal port channel 205, as shown in
Referring to
When the handle 272 is released from the retracted position, the compression spring 276 extends to push the handle 272 to the neutral position shown in
To transition from the neutral position shown in
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the cartridge barrel 222 can take other shapes. For example, the cartridge barrel 222 can be rectangular shaped, such as with barrel chambers 224 uniformly distributed along one of the rectangular sides and/or with equal distances between adjacent barrel chambers 224. In some variants, the cartridge barrel 222 is pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or shaped otherwise.
Moving to
On the proximal shaft 264 can be sleeved multiple (e.g., three) parts, a flange bearing 282, a spacer 284, and a second bearing 286. The flange gear 282 is restricted by the distal head on the proximal shaft 264. When assembled in the housing 210, the flange gear 282 and the second bearing 286 can facilitate or ensure that the proximal shaft 264 is firmly held in the housing 210 and can freely rotate. The proximal shaft 264 has a proximal head 268 configured to be coupled to the motor shaft 136 with the shaft coupler 138 when the cartridge and shaft module 200 can be attached to the screwdriver body 130. As illustrated, the proximal head 268 can have a flat screwdriver shape. The proximal head 268 can take other shapes, as long as rotational movement and torque can be transferred from the motor 134 to the drive shaft assembly 260 through the shaft coupler 138.
In an intermediate section, such as the middle, of the drive shaft assembly 260 is the shaft adaptor 266. The shaft adaptor 266 has a partial recess or cut out forming a generally flat surface 267. At each end of the shaft adaptor 266 there can be a sloped edge 269 expanding the shaft from a partial cylinder of the central portion to a full or near full cylinder at each end portion. Each of the distal shaft 262 and the proximal shaft 264 has a hole along its centerline to accept the shaft adaptor. When assembled with the distal shaft 262, the distal end of the shaft adaptor 266 is constrained by the first pin 292 that is inserted in a hole in the shaft collar 278 and the proximal end of the distal shaft 262, because the first pin 292 is in touch with the flat surface 267 of the shaft adaptor 266. As such, the distal head of the shaft adaptor 266 is stopped by the first pin 292 at the sloped surface 269 and cannot come out of the central hole in the distal shaft 262. The proximal end of the shaft adaptor 266 is constrained by the second pin 294 that is inserted into a hole on the distal end head of the proximal shaft 264 in the same way that the distal head of the shaft adaptor 266 is retrained by the first pin 292. As such the drive shaft assembly 260 is extendable lengthwise. In some embodiments, the engagement of the first pin 292 and the second pin 294 with the flat surface 267 can facilitate that the drive shaft assembly is rotationally rigid, able to transfer rotational movement and torque to the drive-bit 234 and the screw 232.
Back to
If no screw is observed outside of the delivery port 204, it means that the barrel chamber 224 the distal shaft 262 advanced into is empty. Then the user pulls the handle 272 proximally to the retracted position and releases the handle 272 so that the handle 272 moves distally to the neutral position. As described above, the action of moving the handle 272 proximally to the retracted and releasing it to the neutral position causes the revolver cam 240 to rotate and bring the next barrel chamber 224 aligned with the distal shaft 262. As such, the cartridge barrel 222 is indexed rotationally by one barrel chamber 224 position. For example, in the illustrated embodiment with four chambers, each pull and release of the handle 272 rotates the cartridge barrel 222 about 90°. In some embodiments, each pull and release rotates the cartridge barrel 222 at least about: 30°, 45°, 60°, 120°, or otherwise.
The user can repeat the process steps of pushing the handle 272 distally to the forward position and observing if a screw 232 comes out of the delivery port 204, as described above. If the answer is yes, he can proceed to insert the screw into the patient. The user may sequentially repeat the steps until all of the screw and drive-bit assemblies 230 held in the screw cartridge 220 are consumed. If no screw is observed outside the delivery port 204, it means that the screw cartridge 220 is empty (containing no more screw and drive-bit assemblies 230). The empty cartridge 220 can be replaced and reloaded with a non-empty screw cartridge 220. In some embodiments, this occurs by a user (e.g., a surgical assistant) pulling the current screw cartridge 220 out of the housing 210 and installing a new screw cartridge 220 into the housing 210. The user can check that both ends of the cartridge shaft 236 are snapped or otherwise secured in the snap or securing features in the first and second channels 214, 216. The screw delivery system 100 can be used to continue the operation or procedure.
The cartridge and shaft module 340 in
The distal end of the shaft can have helically shaped guiding features 366. The guiding features 366 can help to engage the tip 368 of the screwdriver shaft 364 with the screw 362 for smooth coupling.
Also shown in
The internal channel 345 may have helical grooves on the internal surface. When the tip 368 enters the internal channel 345 and moves axially toward the screw 362, the engagement of the helical guide features 366 with the helical grooves in the internal channel 345 may cause the tip 368 to slowly rotate. This can be a first stage of engagement. When the tip 368 contacts the screw 362 and begins pushing the screw 362, the slow rotation of the tip 368 relative to the screw 362 helps the tip 368 to locate and mate with head of the screw 362. This can be a second stage of engagement. Subsequently, the tip 368 and screw 362 are pushed out of the internal channel 345, thereby exposing the screw and/or the bit. This can be a third stage of engagement. When the engagement between the helical features 366 and the helical grooves in the internal channel 345 stops, the slow rotation of the tip 368 stops. In some embodiments, such stopping of the slow rotation can occur in the second stage of engagement; in some embodiments, such stopping of the slow rotation can occur in the third stage of engagement. The powered screwdriver 300 can be actuated by the user to insert the exposed screw into the patient.
In some embodiments, in a first stage, the tip enters the channel and moves axially toward the screw and rotates relative to the screw. The rotation can be caused by the helical guide features engaging with corresponding helical features in the channel. In some embodiments, in a second stage, the tip contacts the screw and begins pushing the screw, but also continues to rotate relative to the screw (which can aid in locating the bit in the screw head). In some embodiments, in a third stage, the tip and screw push out of the channel and stop rotating until the powered screwdriver is actuated to insert the screw into the patient.
In some embodiments, inside each barrel chamber 354 there can be a grasping feature 356 configured to hold the screw 362 when engaged. The grasping feature 356 can be made of a resilient material, e.g., rubber, or is a spring made of metal or plastic. As such, when the tip 268 of the screwdriver shaft 364 is coupled with the screw 362, it can push the screw 362 distally out of the barrel chamber 354 as the resilient grasping feature 356 flexes outward. The screw 362 and the tip 268 of the screwdriver shaft 364 stay together may be by magnetic force and/or friction fit between the bit and a recess on the head of the screw 362.
Terms of orientation used herein, such as “top,” “bottom,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” and “end” are used in the context of the illustrated embodiment. However, the present disclosure should not be limited to the illustrated orientation. Indeed, other orientations are possible and are within the scope of this disclosure. Terms relating to circular shapes as used herein, such as diameter or radius, should be understood not to require perfect circular structures, but rather should be applied to any suitable structure with a cross-sectional region that can be measured from side-to-side. Terms relating to shapes generally, such as “circular” or “cylindrical” or “semi-circular” or “semi-cylindrical” or any related or similar terms, are not required to conform strictly to the mathematical definitions of circles or cylinders or other structures, but can encompass structures that are reasonably close approximations.
Conditional language, such as “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include or do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.
Conjunctive language, such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.
The terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” as used herein represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, in some embodiments, as the context may dictate, the terms “approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than or equal to 10% of the stated amount. The term “generally” as used herein represents a value, amount, or characteristic that predominantly includes or tends toward a particular value, amount, or characteristic. As an example, in certain embodiments, as the context may dictate, the term “generally parallel” can refer to something that departs from exactly parallel by less than or equal to 20 degrees and the term “generally perpendicular” can refer to something that departs from exactly perpendicular by less than or equal to 20 degrees.
Unless otherwise explicitly stated, articles such as “a” or “an” should generally be interpreted to include one or more described items. Accordingly, phrases such as “a device configured to” are intended to include one or more recited devices. Such one or more recited devices can be collectively configured to carry out the stated recitations. For example, “a processor configured to carry out recitations A, B, and C” can include a first processor configured to carry out recitation A working in conjunction with a second processor configured to carry out recitations B and C.
The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like are synonymous and are used inclusively, in an open-ended fashion, and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, and so forth. Likewise, the terms “some,” “certain,” and the like are synonymous and are used in an open-ended fashion. Also, the term “or” is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in the list.
Overall, the language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims. The language of the claims is not to be limited to the non-exclusive embodiments and examples that are illustrated and described in this disclosure, or that are discussed during the prosecution of the application.
The technology of the present disclosure has been discussed in the context of certain embodiments and examples. The technology extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the embodiments and certain modifications and equivalents thereof. For example, although certain embodiments are disclosed in the context of a screw delivery system or powered screwdriver, the technology can be applied to other fastener delivery tool too. Any two or more of the components of the screw delivery system can be made from a single monolithic piece or from separate pieces connected together. Various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the invention. The scope of this disclosure should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described herein.
Certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as any subcombination or variation of any subcombination.
Moreover, while operations may be depicted in the drawings or described in the specification in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, and all operations need not be performed, to achieve the desirable results. Other operations that are not depicted or described can be incorporated in the example methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the described operations. Further, the operations may be rearranged or reordered in other implementations. Also, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products. Additionally, other implementations are within the scope of this disclosure.
Some embodiments have been described in connection with the accompanying drawings. The figures are drawn to scale, but such scale is not limiting, since dimensions and proportions other than what are shown are contemplated and are within the scope of the disclosed invention. Distances, angles, etc. are merely illustrative and do not necessarily bear an exact relationship to actual dimensions and layout of the devices illustrated. Components can be added, removed, and/or rearranged. Further, the disclosure herein of any particular feature, aspect, method, property, characteristic, quality, attribute, element, or the like in connection with various embodiments can be used in all other embodiments set forth herein. Additionally, any methods described herein may be practiced using any device suitable for performing the recited steps.
In summary, various embodiments and examples of screw delivery systems and related methods have been disclosed. Although the screw delivery systems have been disclosed in the context of those embodiments and examples, the technology of this disclosure extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or other uses of the embodiments, as well as to certain modifications and equivalents thereof. This disclosure expressly contemplates that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with, or substituted for, one another. Thus, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/269,149, filed Mar. 10, 2022, titled “Surgical Screw Delivery System”, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63269149 | Mar 2022 | US |
