Flexible rod manufacturing apparatus and method for a spinal fixation and the flexible rod manufactured through the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rod capable of securely connecting pedicle screws in a pedicle screw system for correcting a damaged or transformed spine and a method and an apparatus for fabricating the same and, more particularly, to a flexible pedicle rod with superelasticity in order to provide a flexibility to a fixation between spine segments and a method and an apparatus capable of fabrication the same in mass production. The apparatus according to the present invention comprises a body; an X- and Y-axis moving element mounted on a top surface of the body, the X- and Y-axis moving element simultaneously moving in X-axis and Y-axis directions to wind a material at an angle of 90 degrees; a magazine mounted on the X- and Y-axis moving element to load a material; a material withdrawing element for withdrawing materials one by one from the magazine; and a material molding element mounted on the X- and Y-axis moving element, the material molding element gripping both ends of the material withdrawn from the material withdrawing element and rotating to mold a portion of the material in a spring shape.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A method for fabricating a flexible pedicle rod for pedicle fixation, comprising:
 a first step of initializing;   a second step of driving a feeder driving motor to move a feeder straight in the initialization state, thereby withdrawing a material from a magazine;   a third step of gripping one end of the material moving straight by the feeder at the die;   a fourth step of driving an Y-axis servo motor built in a body to move an Y-axis stage straight, thereby fixing the other end of the material to a groove shaft of a fixing base;   a fifth step of driving a high-frequency heater to heat the material at a predetermined temperature;   a sixth step of respectively driving Y-axis and X-axis servo motors in Y-axis and X-axis directions to wind the material fixed to the die and the groove shaft at 90 degrees;   a seventh step of driving the X-axis servo motor to move an X-axis stage in the X-axis direction, and driving a rotating motor mounted on the X-axis stage to wind the material fixed to the fixing base on a spiral line and wind the material in a coil shape; and   an eighth step of discharging the material.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the fourth step is carried out at a heating temperature of 600 to 700° C. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the material at the seventh step is wound three times in the coil shape. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising a ninth step of providing compressed air to the die to cool the die after performing the eighth step. 
     
     
         11 - 12 . (canceled)