External adjustment device for distraction device

• US 10,835,290 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2018
• Issued: 11/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuvasive Specialized Orthopedics, Inc. (Nuvasive Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Nuvasive Specialized Orthopedics, Inc. (Nuvasive Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cheng, Shanbao, Moeller, Michael, Schwardt, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Danny
• Application Number:
  US16/004,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20180353215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 361143, 361147
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7016 electric or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7216 for bone lengthening or compression A61B17/7258 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00393 with means for switching between functions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00411 actuated by application of energy from an energy source outside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2059 Mechanical position encoders
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/08 Accessories or related features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/92 coded with colour
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0205 Magnetic circuits with PM in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/064 Circuit arrangements for actuating electromagnets circuit arrangements for obtaining special operating characteristics H01F7/18; driving circuits for electromagnets making use of a switching regulator H01H47/325

Abstract

An external adjustment device includes at least one permanent magnet configured for rotation about an axis with a first handle extending linearly at a first end of the device and a second handle at a second end of the device, the second handle extending in a direction substantially off axis to the first handle. The external adjustment device further includes a motor mounted inside the first handle and a first button located in the proximity to one of the first handle or the second handle, the first button configured to be operated by the thumb of a hand that grips the one of the first handle or second handle. The first button is configured to actuate the motor causing the at least one permanent magnet to rotate about the axis in a first direction.

Claims

1. A controller, for magnetically generating rotational motion in a remote device, comprising:

a first driver magnet, having a first elongate rotational axis, a north pole on a first side of the rotational axis, a south pole on a second side of the rotational axis and a first central magnetic axis extending transversely to the rotational axis and through the centers of the north and south poles;

a second driver magnet, having a second elongate rotational axis, a north pole on a first side of the rotational axis, a south pole on a second side of the rotational axis and a second central magnetic axis extending transversely to the rotational axis and through the centers of the north and south poles; and

a drive system for synchronous rotation of the first and second driver magnets about the first and second rotational axes;

wherein the first and second central magnetic axes are oriented at an angular offset relative to each other.

2. The controller as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second driver magnets is a permanent magnet.

3. The controller as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second driver magnets is an electromagnet.

4. The controller as in claim 1, further comprising a control mechanism for adjusting the angle between the first and second central magnetic axes.

5. The controller as in claim 4, wherein the control mechanism is manually adjustable.

6. The controller as in claim 4, wherein the control mechanism is automatically adjustable.

7. The controller as in claim 6, wherein the control mechanism is automatically adjustable in response to a signal transmitted from the remote device.

8. The controller as in claim 7, wherein the signal transmitted from the remote device indicates insufficient rotational motion in the remote device.

9. The controller as in claim 1, further comprising a third magnet.

10. The controller as in claim 9, wherein the third magnet is vertically offset from the first and second magnets.

11. The controller as in claim 10, wherein the first, second and third magnets are arranged in a Halbach array.

12. A controller, for magnetically generating rotational motion in a remote device, comprising:

a first driver magnet, having a first elongate rotational axis, a north pole on a first side of the rotational axis, a south pole on a second side of the rotational axis and a first central magnetic axis extending transversely to the rotational axis and through the centers of the north and south poles;

a second driver magnet, having a second elongate rotational axis, a north pole on a first side of the rotational axis, a south pole on a second side of the rotational axis and a second central magnetic axis extending transversely to the rotational axis and through the centers of the north and south poles;

a third driver magnet vertically offset from the first and second driver magnets; and

a drive system for synchronous rotation of the first and second driver magnets about the first and second rotational axes;

wherein the first and second central magnetic axes are oriented to maintain a bilaterally asymmetric magnetic flux density so as to shape the magnetic field produced by the first and the second driver magnets.

13. The controller as in claim 12 wherein the first, second and third driver magnets are arranged in a Halbach array.

14. An adjustable flux field controller for magnetically generating rotational motion in a remote device, comprising:

first and second magnets which collectively generate a three dimensional flux field surrounding the magnets, each of the first and second magnets rotatable about respective first and second rotational axes; and

a control unit for adjusting the relative rotational orientation of at least one of the first and second magnets to the other of the first and second magnet;

wherein adjustment of the relative rotational orientation changes the shape of the three dimensional flux field.

15. The controller as in claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second magnets is a permanent magnet.

16. The controller as in claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second magnets is an electromagnet.

17. The controller as in claim 14, further comprising a control mechanism for adjusting the angle between the first and second rotational axes.

18. The controller as in claim 17, wherein the control mechanism is manually adjustable.

19. The controller as in claim 17, wherein the control mechanism is automatically adjustable.

20. The controller as in claim 19, wherein the control mechanism is automatically adjustable in response to a signal transmitted from the remote device.