US 12,007,292 B2
Methods of measuring force using a tracking system
Samuel C. Dumpe, Beaver, PA (US); and Brett Bell, Mendon, UT (US)
Assigned to Smith & Nephew, Inc., Memphis, TN (US); Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics AG, Zug (CH); and Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte. Limited, Singapore (SG)
Appl. No. 17/434,869
Filed by Smith & Nephew, Inc., Memphis, TN (US); Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte. Limited, Singapore (SG); and Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics AG, Zug (CH)
PCT Filed Aug. 7, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/045528
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 30, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/176128, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/811,766, filed on Feb. 28, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0163409 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. G01L 1/04 (2006.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01)
CPC G01L 1/04 (2013.01) [A61B 34/20 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for measuring a force applied to a joint during a surgical procedure, the system comprising:
a tool having a proximal end and a distal end, the tool comprising:
a first tracking array disposed on the proximal end,
a second tracking array disposed on the distal end,
an insertion portion disposed distally of the second tracking array on the distal end, the insertion portion configured to be inserted between a first bone and a second bone of the joint, and
a flexible portion between the proximal and distal ends, wherein the flexible portion has a modulus of elasticity and a moment of inertia; and
a tracking system comprising a processor and a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
determine a first vector between the first tracking array and the second tracking array;
determine a second vector between the first tracking array and the second tracking array, wherein the second vector is determined while the force is applied to the tool and while the insertion portion is inserted between the first bone and the second bone;
determine, based on the first vector and the second vector, an amount of deflection of the flexible portion; and
determine a magnitude of the force and a direction of the force based on the amount of deflection, the modulus of elasticity, and the moment of inertia.