SENSORED HEAD FOR A MEASUREMENT TOOL FOR THE MUSCULAR-SKELETAL SYSTEM

• US 20130079793A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: OrthoSensor, Inc (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Stein, Marc, Chase, Andrew U.
• Granted Patent: US 9,414,940 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/45 For evaluating or diagnosing the musculoskeletal system or teeth A61B5/1036, A61B5/1074, A61B7/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4684 Trial or dummy prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4666 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension

Abstract

A measurement tool for measuring a parameter of the muscular-skeletal system is disclosed. The measurement tool includes a sensored head that comprises a first support structure, a second support structure, and a plurality of sensors for measuring load and position of load. The housing for the measurement tool includes a first housing component and a second housing component. The first housing component comprises a handle portion, a shaft portion, and a first support structure. Similarly, the second housing component comprises a handle portion, a shaft portion, and a second support structure. The sensored head includes an interconnect, a sensor guide, sensors, and a load plate. The interconnect and the sensor guide are aligned and retained in the first support structure by a sidewall.

Claims

1. A measurement tool for measuring a parameter of the muscular-skeletal system comprising:

a sensored head comprising;

a first support structure;

a second support structure;

an interconnect coupled to an interior surface of the first support structure; and

a plurality of sensors coupled to the interconnect and an interior surface of the second support structure.

2. The tool of claim 1 further including a gap between peripheral mating surfaces of the first and second support structures allowing compression of the sensored head.

3. The tool of claim 2 where the gap between the peripheral mating surfaces is filled with an elastic adhesive for coupling the first support structure to the second support structure.

4. The tool of claim 1 where the first support structure includes a sidewall to align and position the interconnect.

5. The tool of claim 4 further including a sensor guide overlying the interconnect where the sidewall of the first support structure aligns and positions the sensor guide to the interconnect.

6. The tool of claim 5 where the sensor guide includes a plurality of openings for exposing the interconnect.

7. The tool of claim 1 further including a load plate coupled between the plurality of sensors and the interior surface of the second support structure.

8. The tool of claim 1 where an exterior surface of the first and second support structures are convex.

9. The tool of claim 8 where the tool includes an electronic assembly operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors.

10. The tool of claim 9 further including:

a handle have a flange on a proximal end; and

a shaft having a proximal end coupled to a distal end of the handle and a distal end coupled to a proximal end of the sensored head where the electronic assembly is housed in the handle, where the interconnect couples the electronic assembly to the plurality of sensors, and where the interconnect couples through a lengthwise passage of the shaft.

11. A measurement tool for measuring a parameter of the muscular-skeletal system comprising:

a sensored head including;

a first support structure having a peripheral surface;

a second support structure having a peripheral surface; and

a plurality of sensors coupled between interior surfaces of the first and second support structures where the peripheral surfaces of the first and second support structures are coupled together and where a gap separates the peripheral surfaces allowing compression of the sensored head.

12. The measurement tool of claim 11 further including an elastic adhesive coupled to the peripheral surfaces of the first and second support structure.

13. The measurement tool of claim 12 where the sensored head measures load magnitude and position of load.

14. The measurement tool of claim 13 where the plurality of sensors are polymer sensors.

15. The measurement tool of claim 13 further including:

an electronic assembly;

an interconnect operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors;

an accelerometer coupled to the electronic assembly for measuring one of an orientation, rotation, angle, and location of the sensored head.

16. The measurement tool of claim 15 further including a sensor guide overlying a portion of the interconnect where the first support structure includes a sidewall to align and position the sensor guide and where the sensor guide includes a plurality of openings for receiving the plurality of sensors.

17. The measurement tool of claim 16 further including a load plate coupled between the plurality of sensors and the interior surface of the second support structure.

18. The measurement tool of claim 17 further including:

a handle have a flange on a proximal end; and

a shaft having a proximal end coupled to a distal end of the handle and a distal end coupled to a proximal end of the sensored head where the electronic assembly is housed in the handle, where the interconnect couples the electronic assembly to the plurality of sensors, and where the interconnect couples through a lengthwise passage of the shaft.

19. The measurement tool of claim 18 where the handle, shaft, first support structure, and a second support structure comprise polycarbonate.

20. A method of forming a spinal instrument housing for measuring intervertebral loading comprising the steps of:

molding a first housing component having a handle portion, a shaft portion, and a first support structure;

molding a second housing component having a handle portion, a shaft portion, and a second support structure where the first and second housing components are formed from polycarbonate, where the first and second support structures have corresponding peripheral surfaces and where a gap is formed between the corresponding peripheral surfaces when the first and second housing components are coupled together.