Automated bone grinder

A bone grinding apparatus, comprising

• a grinding chamber;
• primary and secondary cutting elements positioned within the grinding chamber to sequentially perform primary and secondary cutting operations on the bone;
• a drive mechanism operatively engaging the primary and secondary cutting elements;
• wherein the secondary cutting element comprises:
• a first cutting tool including a first set of teeth;
• a second cutting tool including a second set of teeth;
• and
• the first and second cutting tools are positioned to define a cutting zone between the first set of teeth and the second set of teeth;
• and
• wherein the first cutting tool and second cutting tool are positioned in an opposed relationship within the grinding chamber and wherein the drive mechanism is adapted to concurrently rotate the first cutting tool and the second cutting tool in the same direction, whereby the first set of teeth and the second set of teeth apply shear forces to the bone located in the cutting zone.

An apparatus for grinding bone comprising:

• a grinding chamber;
• a first cutting element positioned within the grinding chamber to initially cut the bone;
• a second cutting element positioned within the grinding chamber, the second cutting element including a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool positioned in an opposed relationship to define a cutting zone between the cutting tools;
• a drive mechanism operatively engaging each cutting element and adapted to concurrently rotate each cutting element;
• and
• wherein the first cutting element includes:
• a circumference;
• an axial length;
• and
• a set of teeth spanning a majority of the circumference of the first cutting element and positioned in offset rows along a majority of the axial length of the first cutting element.

An apparatus for grinding bone comprising:

• a grinding chamber;
• a first cutting element positioned within the grinding chamber to initially cut the bone;
• a second cutting element positioned within the grinding chamber, the second cutting element including a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool positioned in an opposed relationship to define a cutting zone between the cutting tools;
• a drive mechanism operatively engaging each cutting element and adapted to concurrently rotate each cutting element;
• and
• wherein the first cutting tool includes a first set of teeth and the second cutting tool includes a second set of teeth and wherein the drive mechanism is adapted to move the first set of teeth in a first direction through the cutting zone and to move the second set of teeth in an opposite direction through the cutting zone, whereby concurrent movement of the first set of teeth and the second set of teeth will apply shear forces to the bone located in the cutting zone.

An apparatus for grinding bone comprising:

• a grinding chamber;
• a first cutting element positioned within the grinding chamber to initially cut the bone;
• a second cutting element positioned within the grinding chamber, the second cutting element including a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool positioned in an opposed relationship to define a cutting zone between the cutting tools;
• a drive mechanism operatively engaging each cutting element and adapted to concurrently rotate each cutting element;
• and
• wherein the first cutting tool includes a first set of teeth and the second cutting tool includes a second set of teeth and wherein the drive mechanism is adapted to concurrently rotate the first cutting tool and the second cutting tool in the same direction, whereby the first set of teeth and second set of teeth apply shear forces to the bone located in the cutting zone.

An apparatus for grinding bone comprising:

• a grinding chamber;
• a first cutting element positioned within the grinding chamber to initially cut the bone;
• a second cutting element positioned within the grinding chamber, the second cutting element including a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool positioned in an opposed relationship to define a cutting zone between the cutting tools;
• a drive mechanism operatively engaging each cutting element and adapted to concurrently rotate each cutting element;
• and
• wherein each cutting tool includes a circumference, an axial length, and a set of teeth spanning a majority of the circumference along the majority of the axial length of the cutting tool.

A bone grinding apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of cutting elements;
• a grinding chamber encompassing the cutting elements;
• a drive mechanism operatively engaging the cutting elements and adapted to rotate the cutting elements;
• a bone supplying cylinder operatively engaging the grinding chamber and adapted to supply bone to the cutting elements at a constant pressure;
• a sealing component operatively engaging the drive mechanism and positioned to environmentally separate the drive mechanism from the cutting elements, the grinding chamber, and the bone supplying cylinder;
• wherein the plurality of cutting elements further comprises:
• a primary cutting element positioned to initially engage the bone;
• and
• a secondary cutting element including a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool, the cutting tools positioned to define a cutting zone within the grinding chamber and to concurrently engage the bone in the cutting zone;
• and
• wherein the drive mechanism operatively engages the cutting elements and wherein the drive mechanism is adapted to rotate the first cutting tool and the second cutting tool in the same direction, thereby creating a shearing effect between the first cutting tool and second cutting tool in the cutting zone.

A bone grinding apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of cutting elements;
• a grinding chamber encompassing the cutting elements;
• a drive mechanism operatively engaging the cutting elements and adapted to rotate the cutting elements;
• a bone supplying cylinder operatively engaging the grinding chamber and adapted to supply bone to the cutting elements at a constant pressure;
• a sealing component operatively engaging the drive mechanism and positioned to environmentally separate the drive mechanism from the cutting elements, the grinding chamber, and the bone supplying cylinder;
• and
• wherein the bone supplying cylinder includes:
• a guide chute engaging the grinding chamber;
• a guide rod positioned within the guide chute;
• and
• a contact plate engaging the guide rod, the contact plate positioned to transport bone through the guide chute to the cutting elements at a constant pressure.

A method for grinding bone, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a proximately arranged plurality of cutting tools;
• (b) rotating a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool in the same direction, thereby creating a shearing action between the first cutting tool and the second cutting tool;
• and
• (c) supplying bone to the cutting tools.