FORCE DETECTING APPARATUS

A force detecting apparatus includes a button and a force sensor. The button is configured to press a biological tissue. The force sensor is disposed between the button and the biological tissue for detecting a force variation between the button and the biological tissue.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a detecting apparatus, more particular to a force detecting apparatus.

BACKGROUND

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles at an innermost layer of the shoulder joint, including supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis, is a core muscle group of the shoulder joint, and has a main function of stabilizing humerus when the shoulder joint moves. When suffering from a trauma or being repetitively used, for example, suffering from collision or continuously lifting an arm to clean a high place, the rotator cuff may be worn, or even suffer from fibrosis and tear. Moreover, aging is also one important pathogenic factor. According to statistics, approximately 13% of the population at an age greater than 50 suffers from rotator cuff tendon tear, and over half of the population at an age greater than 80 is diagnosed with a rotator cuff tendon injury. After the rotator cuff injury, possible clinical manifestations include: being painful (sleep may be affected), being incapable of completing an action over the shoulder, being difficult in getting dressed and other disorders of repetitive shoulder function movements.

The extent of the rotator cuff tendon injury or tear may be divided into three stages, and symptoms and therapies of the rotator cuff tendon injury or tear are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1GradeSymptomTherapyIedema nearby the muscle tendon, andphysical therapy and drug controlbleeding (usually at an age less than 25)IItendinitis/bursitis and fibrosis (usually at anphysical therapy and drugage of 25 to 40)control, or taking surgeryintervention into consideration incase of severityIIIbone spur and muscle tendon tear (usually atputting stress on surgeryan age greater than 40)intervention

In Table 1, the part of the surgery intervention therapies is further roughly classified into a conventional open type, a mini open type and an arthroscopic method, as shown in Table 2.

Because the wound is small, and the postoperative recovery is quick, more orthopedists tend to perform suture anchor by using the arthroscopy to assist in fixing the muscle tendon to a bone, and this surgical manner is slowly used as a standard process of rotator cuff repair. However, the suture anchor is still incapable of completely fixing the rotator cuff, and a case of failure still occurs, for example, a fixing screw is pulled out due to osteoporosis, or the rotator cuff tendon is torn again because of a suture. Regretfully, the circumstances mentioned above cannot be predicted in advance. If the fixing situation of the rotator cuff can be monitored in real time, a preventive action can be done before the circumstances mentioned above happened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a force detecting apparatus includes a button and a force sensor. The button is configured to press a biological tissue. The force sensor is disposed between the button and the biological tissue for detecting a force variation between the button and the biological tissue.

In the present disclosure, the button can press the biological tissue, and to the force sensor can detect the force variation between the button and the biological tissue in real time. Accordingly, the force detecting apparatus is suitable for monitoring the mechanical behaviors of the biological tissue or reattaching the biological tissue to a hard tissue.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this description will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, a force detecting apparatus10is designed to press a biological tissue BT. In some embodiments, the biological tissue BT is a soft tissue such as rotator cuff. In some embodiments, the biological tissue BT can also be a hard tissue such as bone chip. In some embodiments, the force detecting apparatus10is used to reattach the biological tissue BT (as rotator cuff) to a hard tissue HT (as humerus).

The force detecting apparatus10includes a button11configured to press the biological tissue BT on the hard tissue HT. The button11includes a frame portion111, a hollow portion112and a bisecting rod113. The hollow portion112is located at the middle of the frame portion111. The bisecting rod113is disposed within the hollow portion112for dividing the hollow portion112into a first hollow portion112A and a second hollow portion112B. The bisecting rod113is also located at the middle of the frame portion111and two ends of the bisecting rod113are connected to the frame portion111. In some embodiments, the button11is made of bioabsorbable material. In some embodiments, the bisecting rod113can be omitted, it only needs two holes and the frame portion111and the bisecting rod113are in the same part.

Referring toFIG. 3, in order to improve the contact force between the button11and the biological tissue BT, the button11can include a sawtooth structure11W contacting with the biological tissue BT to prevent sliding between the button11and the biological tissue BT. In some embodiments, the sawtooth structure11W is formed on the frame portion111. In some embodiments, the sawtooth structure11W is formed on the bisecting rod113. In some embodiments, the frame portion111can integrate with soft or elastic material to prevent biological tissue attrition caused by the friction between the button11and the biological tissue BT.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2again, a force sensor12is disposed between the button11and the biological tissue BT for detecting a force variation between the button11and the biological tissue BT. To improve the accuracy of the detected force variation, the force sensor12is disposed between the bisecting rod113and the biological tissue BT. In some embodiments, the force sensor12is disposed on the button11, preferably, the force sensor12is directly disposed or formed on the bisecting rod113of the button11. In some embodiments, the bisecting rod113can have a cavity to dispose the force sensor12. In some embodiments, the force sensor12can be fixed by a suture. In some embodiments, the force detecting apparatus10can receive a wireless power.

Referring toFIG. 4, in some embodiments, the force sensor12can be disposed between the frame portion111and the biological tissue BT. In some embodiments, the force sensor12is directly disposed or formed on the frame portion111of the button11.

The force sensor12is selected from a group consisting of pressure sensor, shear force sensor and tensile force sensor. Accordingly, the force variation can be pressure variation, shear force variation or tensile force variation.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 5, the force sensor12includes a sensing element121for detecting the force variation and a transponder122for transmitting the force variation signal to a signal receiver123. The sensing element121is electrically connected to the transponder122. The sensing element121is made of one selected from the group consisting of piezoresistive material, piezoelectric material, capacitive material and resistance material. In some embodiments, the transponder122is radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, and the signal receiver123is radio frequency identification (RFID) reader. In some embodiments, the transponder122has an antenna122A to transmit the force variation signal. Preferably, the antenna122A is made of bioabsorbable material. The antenna122A can be also used to receive the wireless power that the force detecting apparatus10can with or without battery to save the area. In some embodiments, the antenna122A can be disposed on the frame portion111. In some embodiments, the force sensor12and the transponder122can be separated. The transponser122can be in/on the button11. In some embodiments, the wireless data communication between the transponder122and the signal receiver123can use bluetooth or WiFi.

Referring toFIG. 2again, in order to generate a pressure on the button11to uniformly press the biological tissue BT on the hard tissue HT, the force detecting apparatus10can include a first suture anchor13and a second suture anchor14. The first suture anchor13and the second suture anchor14are separately disposed at two sides of the button11. In some embodiments, the first suture anchor13and the second suture anchor14are fixed on the hard tissue HT.

A first suture15is secured to the first suture anchor13and penetrates the biological tissue BT and the first hollow portion112A of the button11.

A second suture16is secured to the second suture anchor14and penetrates the second hollow portion112B of the button11. The first suture15and the second suture16are knotted on the bisecting rod113of the button11, thereby generating a pressure on the button11to uniformly press the biological tissue BT on the hard tissue HT.

In the present disclosure, the button11can press the biological tissue BT, and the force sensor12can detect the force variation between the button11and the biological tissue BT in real time and can transmit the force variation signal in wireless. Accordingly, the force detecting apparatus10is suitable for monitoring the mechanical behaviors of the biological tissue BT or reattaching the biological tissue BT to a hard tissue HT.

Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, and composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate form the present disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure.

Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, and compositions of matter, means, methods or steps. In addition, each claim constitutes a separate embodiment, and the combination of various claims and embodiments are within the scope of the invention.