MOTORIZED BONE CEMENT MIXER CAPABLE OF MONITORING THE STATE OF THE CEMENT AS IT IS MIXED

• US 20100061181A1
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher M. Tague, Don Malackowski
• Original Assignee: Christopher M. Tague, Don Malackowski
• Inventors: Tague, Christopher M., Malackowski, Don
• Granted Patent: US 8,657,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/15 Guides therefor arrangements for guiding straight saw blades in general B23D51/025
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/151 for corrective osteotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1622 Drill handpieces A61B17/1626, A61B17/1628 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1697 specially adapted for wire insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/40 with an axially oscillating rotary stirrer
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/50111 Small portable bottles, flasks, vials, e.g. with means for mixing ingredients or for homogenizing their content, e.g. by hand shaking
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/50115 Stirring devices adapted to be connected to a standard boring machine or other kind of domestic tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2207 Use of data, i.e. barcodes, 3D codes or similar type of tagging information, as instruction or identification codes for controlling the computer programs, e.g. for manipulation, handling, production or compounding in mixing plants B01F33/848 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2209 Controlling the mixing process as a whole, i.e. involving a complete monitoring and controlling of the mixing process during the whole mixing cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/221422 Speed of rotation of the mixing axis, stirrer or receptacle during the operation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/22161 duration of the mixing process or parts of it
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/332 : alternately changing the direction of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/90 : Heating or cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/215 : Magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-effect or magneto-resistive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 : Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/145 : Hand-held machine tool
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/16 : Circuit arrangements for detecting position
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/06 : for regulating or controlling an individual dc dynamo-electric motor by varying field or armature current

Abstract

A system and method for mixing bone cement. The components forming the cement are contained in a cartridge. A motorized device, such as a surgical handpiece, rotates a blade in the cartridge that mixes the cement. The current drawn by the motor is monitored. The current draw is evaluated to determine the viscosity of the cement. If the current draw indicates that the cement is at the target viscosity, the mixing may be terminated. A low current draw measure may be interpreted as an indication that the cement is of low viscosity and that it may be necessary to continue the mixing process.

Claims

1. A method for mixing medical/surgical cement, said method including the steps of:

placing the components forming the cement to be mixed in a container, the container having a mixing blade; and

actuating the mixing blade with a power tool so as to mix the components together;

monitoring the power output by the mixing tool to actuate the mixing blade;

based on the power output by the power tool, determining the state of the cement mixture.

2. The method of mixing medical/surgical cement of claim 1, further including the step of, based on said determination of the state of the cement mixture, displaying data indicating the state of the cement mixture.

3. The method of mixing medical/surgical cement of claim 18, further including the step of:

monitoring the time the power tool is actuated to actuate the mixer; and

wherein, said determination of the state of the cement mixture is based on both the power output by the power tool and the time the power tool is actuated.