Power driven bone crusher and method for bone crushing

Abstract

An apparatus for bone milling includes a housing defining a first opening, a second opening opposite the first opening, and a linear passage from the first opening to the second opening. The linear passage has a first surface with third opening there through and a second surface transverse to the first surface. A rotatable cutting member is insertable through the third opening to partially block the linear passage. The rotatable cutting member is positioned at a distance from the second surface of the linear passage corresponding to a predetermined bone chip size.

1 . An apparatus for bone milling, comprising: 
 a housing defining a first opening, a second opening opposite the first opening, and a linear passage from the first opening to the second opening, the linear passage having a first surface with third opening therethrough and a second surface transverse to the first surface;    a rotatable cutting member insertable through the third opening to partially block the linear passage, the rotatable cutting member being positioned at a distance from the second surface of the linear passage, the distance defining a predetermined bone chip size;    an actuator element having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end is removably coupled to the housing; and    an actuator cap removably coupleable with the second end of the actuator element, the actuator cap defining an adapter receiving impression.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adapter including a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the adapter is positionable within the adapter receiving impression of the actuator cap.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the first end of the adapter defines a plurality of surfaces substantially angled from one another to securely engage the actuator cap.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator element defines a channel adapted to contain at least a portion of the rotatable cutting member therein.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , where the channel extends substantially from the first end to the second end.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the rotatable cutting member is removable from the channel and the linear passage of the housing while the actuator remains coupled to the housing.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a receptacle removably coupled to the second opening.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the receptacle has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second end having a substantially larger surface area than the first end.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the receptacle further includes an alignment element for engagement with a corresponding element on the housing.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the alignment element on the receptacle is one of a groove and a raised projection.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable cutting member includes at least one spiral-oriented groove that provides a cutting edge.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a plunger dimensioned to be removably insertable into the first opening of the housing.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a coupling element engageable with the housing and the actuator element to keep the actuator element coupled to the housing during operation.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the housing further includes at least one slot, and wherein the coupling element has: 
 at least one projection engageable with a corresponding at least one slot to removeably couple the coupling element with the housing; and    at least one shoulder to engage the actuator element.    
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for bone milling engageable with a drive source having a tool-receiving portion, comprising: 
 a housing defining a first opening, a second opening opposite the first opening, and a linear passage from the first opening to the second opening;    a single-stage milling assembly consisting of a rotatable cutting member traversing at least a portion of the linear passage;    an actuator element defining a first end, a second end opposite the first end and a channel extending from the first end to the second end;    an actuator cap removably coupleable with the second end of the actuator element, the actuator cap defining an adapter receiving impression; and    an adapter defining a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is positionable in the adapter receiving impression of the actuator cap and the second end is engageable with the tool-receiving portion of a drive source.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the rotatable cutting member includes a spiral-oriented plurality of grooves that provide a respective plurality of cutting edges.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the rotatable cutting member is positioned at a distance from a portion of the linear passage, the distance defining a predetermined bone chip size.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the first end of the adapter defines a plurality of surfaces substantially angled from one another to securely engage the actuator cap.  
     
     
         19 . A method for milling bone, comprising the steps of: 
 inserting bone to be milled into a bone milling apparatus, the apparatus being comprised of: 
 a housing defining a first opening, a second opening opposite the first opening, and a linear passage from the first opening to the second opening, the linear passage having a first surface with third opening there through and a second surface transverse to the first surface; and  
 a rotatable cutting member defining a cutting edge, the rotatable cutting member being insertable through the third opening to partially block the linear passage, the rotatable cutting member further being positioned at a distance from the second surface of the linear passage corresponding to a predetermined bone chip size;  
 an actuator element defining a first end, a second end opposite the first end and a channel extending from the first end to the second end;  
 an actuator cap removably coupleable with the second end of the actuator element, the actuator cap defining an adapter receiving impression; and  
 an adapter defining a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is positionable in the adapter receiving impression of the actuator cap;  
 a plunger; and  
 a milled material receptacle removably coupled to the second opening;  
   engaging the second end of the adapter with a drive source;    placing the plunger in the first opening of the apparatus to force the bone towards the rotatable cutting member,    operating the drive source to rotate the rotatable cutting member, thereby milling the bone, and    collecting the milled material in the milled material receptacle.    
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the cutting edge of the rotatable cutting member is positioned to contact the bone at approximately a forty-five degree angle.