Electric motor driven tool for orthopedic impacting

Abstract

An orthopedic impacting tool comprises a motor, a linear motion converter, an air chamber, a compression piston, an impacting element, an anvil element, and a broach adapter. The compression piston may cause the impacting element to apply controlled force on a broach adapter to create a precise opening for subsequently disposing a prosthesis in a patient. The tool may further comprise a detent for holding the impacting element in a position until a sufficient pressure is applied to release the impacting element. The tool allows forward or backward impacting for expanding the size or volume of the opening or for facilitating removal of the broach and tool from the opening. A force adjustment control of the tool allows a user to increase or decrease the impact force. A light source and hand grips improve ease of operation of the tool.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An orthopedic impacting tool for striking an object, the tool comprising
 a motor,   a linear motion converter,   a compression piston operatively coupled to said linear motion converter, said piston having a first end and a second end,   an air chamber,   an impacting element,   a detent for retaining the impacting element in a position,   a control unit,   an anvil element with a front face and a rear face, said anvil element adapted to accept a portion of a broach adapter,   a broach adapter capable of holding a broach, chisel, reamer, or other surgical implement, said broach adapter operatively coupled to said anvil element and being proximate to said first face of the anvil element and distal to said second face of said anvil element, and   a hand grip,   wherein said control unit directs said motor to move said linear motion converter and causing said compression piston to move and compress air within said air chamber and wherein when said compressed air exceeds the force of the detent the impacting element moves from a first position to a second position, striking said front or rear face of the anvil element,   such that the impact element is capable of imparting a force upon the broach adapter in at least one direction.   
     
     
       2. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein said linear motion converter is a slider crank mechanism. 
     
     
       3. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein a retaining force of said detent is controlled by a solenoid that is operatively coupled to the control unit. 
     
     
       4. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein a force adjustment control is operatively coupled to the control unit, which force adjustment control is capable of at least one of changing the speed at which the compression piston moves within the air chamber and changing the retention force of the detent. 
     
     
       5. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises a positional sensor that is operatively coupled to one of the control unit of the tool or the motor of the tool, which sensor may determine whether the tool is being pushed toward an object or pulled away from an object,
 which sensor causes said control unit or motor of the tool to direct the impacting element to impart a greater force upon said front face of said anvil element and a lesser force on said rear face of said anvil element upon sensing that the tool is being pushed toward an object, and   which sensor causes said control unit or motor of the tool to direct the impacting element to impart a lesser force upon said front face of said anvil element and a greater force on said rear face of said anvil element upon sensing that the tool is being pulled away from an object.   
     
     
       6. The tool of  claim 1 , wherein said tool comprises a torsion sensor, which torsion sensor is capable of determining a lateral movement of the tool and which sensor is capable of signaling such movement. 
     
     
       7. A surgical impactor for striking an object with a repeatable, controlled striking force to impel operation of a surgical implement in opposing directions, comprising:
 a housing;   a drive mechanism;   a control circuit to actuate the drive mechanism to produce the repeatable controlled striking force;   a motor configured to be controlled by the control circuit to drive the drive mechanism; and   an adapter to receive a surgical implement to interface the object and a striker operable to impact at least two distinct impact surfaces of the adapter responsive to the repeatable, controlled striking force delivered thereto by the drive mechanism, wherein   provision of the repeatable, controlled striking force to a first impact surface of the at least two distinct impact surfaces of the adapter impels the adapter in a first direction,   provision of the repeatable, controlled striking force to a second impact surface of the at least two distinct impact surfaces impels the adapter in a direction opposite the first direction;   the housing contains therein at least the at least two distinct impact surfaces which are each mounted in a stationary position relative to the housing; and   the housing also contains therein at least the motor and the striker.    
     
     
       8. The surgical impactor of claim 7, wherein the drive mechanism includes a linear motion converter.  
     
     
       9. The surgical impactor of claim 8, wherein the linear motion converter is a slider crank mechanism.  
     
     
       10. The surgical impactor of claim 7, further comprising:
 a detent mechanism to provide a retaining force to the striker.    
     
     
       11. The surgical impactor of claim 10, wherein the retaining force is controlled by a solenoid operatively coupled to the control circuit.  
     
     
       12. The surgical impactor of claim 10, further comprising:
 a force adjustment control operatively coupled to the control circuit, the force adjustment control operable to adjust a speed at which a compression piston moves within an air chamber.    
     
     
       13. The surgical impactor of claim 10, further comprising:
 a force adjustment control operatively coupled to the control circuit, the force adjustment control operable to adjust the retention force of the detent.    
     
     
       14. A surgical impactor for striking an object with a repeatable, controlled striking force to impel operation of a surgical implement in opposing directions, comprising:
 a housing;   a drive mechanism;   a control circuit to actuate the drive mechanism to produce the repeatable controlled striking force;   a positional sensor operatively coupled to the control circuit to determine whether the surgical impactor is being pushed toward the object or pulled away from the object; and   an adapter to receive a surgical implement to interface the object and a striker operable to impact at least two distinct impact surfaces of the adapter responsive to the repeatable, controlled striking force delivered thereto by the drive mechanism, wherein
 provision of the repeatable, controlled striking force to a first impact surface of the at least two distinct impact surfaces of the adapter impels the adapter in a first direction, 
 provision of the repeatable, controlled striking force to a second impact surface of the at least two distinct impact surfaces impels the adapter in a direction opposite the first direction; 
 the housing contains therein at least the at least two distinct impact surfaces which are each mounted in a stationary position relative to the housing, 
 the positional sensor causes the control circuit to direct the striker to impart a greater force upon the first impact surface of the at least two distinct impact surfaces of the adapter and a lesser force on the second impact surface of an anvil of the at least two distinct impact surfaces of the adapter upon sensing that the surgical impactor is being pushed toward the object, and 
 the positional sensor causes the control circuit to direct the striker to impart a lesser force upon the first impact surface of the at least two distinct impact surfaces of the adapter upon sensing that the surgical impactor tool is being pulled away from the object.  
   
     
     
       15. The surgical impactor of claim 7, further comprising:
 a torsion sensor operable to determine a lateral movement of the surgical impactor and to communicate the lateral movement to the control circuit.    
     
     
       16. The surgical impactor of claim 7, wherein the adapter is operable to communicate positive force to the surgical implement responsive to the striker impacting the first impact surface, wherein the communication of the positive force causes the surgical implement to move toward the object.  
     
     
       17. The surgical impactor of claim 7, wherein the adapter is operable to communicate negative force to the surgical implement responsive to the striker impacting the second impact surface, wherein the communication of the second force causes the surgical implement to move away from the object.  
     
     
       18. A surgical impactor, comprising:
 a housing;   a drive mechanism;   a motor;   a control unit operatively coupled to the motor and to the drive mechanism and configured to control the motor and thereby cause movement of the drive mechanism;   an adapter configured to receive a surgical implement configured to strike an object;   a striker operatively coupled to the adapter, operatively coupled to the drive mechanism, and configured to, in response to the movement of the drive mechanism, provide a repeatable, controlled striking force to the adapter that includes
 impact of the striker on a first surface of the adapter, thereby moving the adapter in a first direction, and 
 impact of the striker on a second, different surface of the adapter, thereby moving the adapter in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction; 
   wherein the housing contains therein at least the at least two distinct impact surfaces which are each mounted in a stationary position relative to the housing; and   wherein the housing also contains therein at least the motor and the striker.    
     
     
       19. The surgical impactor of claim 18, wherein the drive mechanism includes a linear motion converter.  
     
     
       20. The surgical impactor of claim 18, wherein the linear motion converter is a slider crank mechanism.  
     
     
       21. The surgical impactor of claim 18, wherein the surgical implement includes a broach, a chisel, or a reamer.  
     
     
       22. The surgical impactor of claim 18, wherein the first surface of the adapter is a forward surface;
 the second surface of the adapter is a rearward surface;   the surgical impactor further comprises a detent configured to retain the striker in a rearward position; and   the movement of the drive mechanism is configured to cause the striker to be released from the detent.    
     
     
       23. The surgical impactor of claim 18, wherein the first surface of the adapter is a forward surface;
 the second surface of the adapter is a rearward surface;   the surgical impactor further comprises a positional sensor operatively coupled to the control unit;   in response to the positional sensor determining that the surgical impactor is moving toward the object, the control unit is configured to cause the striker to impart a greater force upon the first surface and a lesser force on the second surface; and   in response to the positional sensor determining that the surgical impactor is moving away from the object, the control unit is configured to cause the striker to impart a lesser force upon the first surface and a greater force on the second surface.