Elongate element for transmitting forces

• US 6,337,142 B2
• Filed: 06/22/1998
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stryker European Operations Holdings, LLC (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Stryker Trauma GmbH (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Jensen, Harm-Iven, Speitling, Andreas W., Harder, Hans E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, John J.
• Application Number:
  US09/102,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20010008704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 428/596, 428/573, 428/574, 428/575, 428/586, 464/183, 606/80
• US Class Current: 428/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1631 Special drive shafts, e.g. flexible shafts A61B17/1642, A61B17/164 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/72 Intramedullary pins, nails or other devices A61B17/744 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 1/00 Flexible shafts flexible shafts in dental machines for boring or cutting A61C1/18; Mechanical means for transmitting movement in a flexible sheathing
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 1/02 for conveying rotary movements
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2316/10 in medical appliances, e.g. in diagnosis, dentistry, instruments, prostheses, medical imaging appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12201 Width or thickness variation or marginal cuts repeating longitudinally
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12361 having aperture or cut

Abstract

A hollow elongate element of elastic material for transmitting forces in which the walling comprises openings which reduce the bending resistance moment and are arranged such that the torsion resistance moment of the element essentially remains.

Claims

1. An elongate element for transmitting forces during drilling of a bone marrow cavity comprising:

a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis, said tubular body having a plurality of slots each open to an outer diameter (D) of the tubular body and extending in a plane transversally to the longitudinal axis, said slots grouped in repeating angularly offset patterns of more than two slots, the angularly offset patterns repeating at least several times along the longitudinal extent of the tubular body each of said slots cut through a wall of said body, each of said slots spaced along said axis from adjacent slots a distance of between >

5% and <

40% of the tube outer diameter (D) and said more than two slots of said repeating pattern being angularly offset from adjacent slots at an angle of between 20° and

<

180° and

connected to the adjacent slots by web regions and each of said slots extend transversely into the body with a depth (T) of <

90% of the tube outer diameter (D).

2. The elongate element as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slots are angularly offset at 90°

from one another.

3. The element for transmitting forces according to claim 1 wherein the slots do not cut through the web region of the body, which is near to the edge, in the respective transversal cross section, and wherein the slots are formed offset to one another such that the web regions near to the edge are arranged helix-shaped in the longitudinal direction of the element.

4. The element for transmitting forces according to claim 3 wherein the tubular body has a wall thickness (S) >

5% of an outer diameter (D) of the tubular body and with a width (B) of >

20% and <

80% of the distance (A) to the neighboring slot.

5. The element for transmitting forces according to claim 1 wherein the body consists of a metallic material.

6. The element for transmitting forces according to claim 5 therein the body consists of steel or titanium.

7. The elongate element as set forth in claim 1 wherein the slots are angularly displaced around the tubular body at an angle >

20° and

<

180°

.

8. The elongate element as set forth in claim 7 wherein the slot width is >

20% and <

80% of the distance to the neighboring slot.

9. The element for transmitting forces according to claim 1 wherein the tubular has a wall thickness (S) >

5% of an outer diameter (D) of the tubular body and wherein each slot is formed offset to the neighboring slot at a distance (A) of >

5% and <

40% of the tube outer diameter (D) and about an angle >

20° and

<

180°

about the longitudinal axis of the tubular body and extends transversely into the body with a depth (T) of <

90% of the tube outer diameter (D) and with a width (B) of >

20% and <

80% of the distance (A) to the neighboring slot.

10. A flexible force transmitting shaft for forming an opening in the marrow cavity of a long bone comprising:

a

a tubular body for driving a marrow space drill, said tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a plurality of slots open at the outer diameter (D) of the tubular body in a wall of said tubular body extending transversely to said axis, said slots grouped in repeating angularly offset patterns of more than two slots, the angularly offset patterns repeating at least several times along the longitudinal extent of the tubular body each of said slots spaced along said axis from adjacent slots a distance of between >

5% and <

40% of the tube outer diameter (D) and said more than two slots of said repeating pattern being angularly offset from adjacent slots around said shaft at an angle of between 20° and

<

180°

to form a helical pattern and each of said slots extend transversely into the body with a depth (T) of <

90% of the tubular outer diameter (D).

11. The flexible force transmitting shaft of claim 10 wherein the depth of each slot is less than 90% of a diameter of said tubular body.

12. The elongate element as set forth in claim 10 wherein said slots are angularly offset at 90°

from one another.

13. The flexible force transmitting shaft of claim 10 wherein an uninterrupted helical web of material is formed along an outer surface of said tubular body along the longitudinal extent thereof.

14. The element for transmitting forces according to claim 10 wherein the tubular body has a wall thickness (S) >

5% of an outer diameter (D) of the tubular body.