TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to single use rotational speed reduction devices and methods.

BACKGROUND

Tools used in different industries operate at many different speeds, and controlling the speed of operation is sometimes necessary. The need for carefully controlled speed of resecting tools often used in surgery is well known. Tools used during medical procedures must meet a predetermined level of sterilization. The financial and societal costs of infections caused by improperly sterilized items used during surgery are significant. Maintaining and sterilizing speed reduced powered tools used during medical procedures adds to the cost of health care.

DISCLOSURE

Many rotational tools (e.g. drills) operate at very high velocities, and it is sometimes necessary to reduce or limit how fast such tools spin. In the medical field, torque limiting devices in the operational theater are useful to reduce variables associated with fastening medical devices. However, unrestricted high-speed device operation may add unnecessary risk variables to a procedure.

According to aspects of some exemplary implementations of the disclosure, single use speed reduction systems are provided that comprise a shaft assembly comprising a drive shaft and a sun gear having a plurality of gear teeth, with the sun gear attached to or integral to the drive shaft, a housing, one or more internal gear components having a plurality of gear teeth, a planet carrier having a gear comprising inward-facing gear teeth, with one or more of gears being non-metal. In some implementations, the one or more internal gear components comprise a planet gear and a gear ring, the planet gear comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, with each portion having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, the gear ring comprises a plurality of outward-facing gear teeth, and the planet carrier comprises a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth around an edge of a recess in the top surface of the planet carrier, and the planet carrier is configured to rotate in response to rotation of the shaft assembly, via engagement between the sun gear and the top portion of the planet gear, engagement between the bottom portion of the planet gear and the gear ring, and engagement between the gear ring and the inward-facing teeth of the planet carrier. In some implementations, the one or more internal gear components comprise a gear ring, the gear ring comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, with the top portion having a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth thereon and the bottom portion having a plurality of outward-facing gear teeth thereon, and the planet carrier comprises a plurality of inward-facing gear teeth around an edge of a recess in the top surface of the planet carrier, and the planet carrier is configured to rotate in response to rotation of the shaft assembly, via engagement between the sun gear and the top portion of the gear ring and engagement between the bottom portion of gear ring and the inward-facing teeth of the planet carrier.

According to aspects of some exemplary implementations of the disclosure, single use speed reduction systems are provided that comprise a shaft assembly a comprising a drive shaft having a sun gear thereon, a housing, a planet gear having a top portion and a bottom portion, with each portion having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, a gear ring having a plurality of gear teeth, and a planet carrier having plurality of inward-facing gear teeth around the edge of the recess in the top surface of the planet carrier. In some implementations of the disclosure, the shaft is mated with the housing, and one or more of gears is non-metal.

According to aspects of some exemplary implementations of the disclosure, methods of reducing rotational velocity of a tool include a step of engaging a tool with an integrated speed reduction device as it is described in any of the embodiments throughout this application. The method also includes a step of operating the tool once it is engaged with the integrated speed reduction device.

