Lateral Retractor System for Diverse Industrial Applications

Publication ID: 24-11857173_0002_PTD

Published: November 07, 2025

Category:New Applications & Use Cases

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Lateral Retractor System for Diverse Industrial Applications,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11857173_0002_PTD, Published November 07, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11857173_0002_PTD

This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,857,173.

Summary of the Inventive Concept

The inventive concept leverages the core technology of the original lateral retractor system to address various challenges in new industries, including robotic harvesting, wind turbine inspection, industrial machinery cleaning, search and rescue operations, and aircraft inspection.

Background and Problem Solved

The original lateral retractor system was designed for lateral spine surgical procedures, but its limitations in terms of adaptability, versatility, and robustness hindered its application to other fields. The new inventive concept addresses these limitations by adapting the core technology to tackle distinct problems in diverse industries.

Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept

The inventive concept comprises a lateral retractor system adapted for navigating through dense foliage, narrow spaces, rubble, and debris, depending on the specific application. The system is equipped with a robotic arm, camera, cleaning head, sensor array, or other attachments tailored to the target industry. The retractor system's pivotable armatures, gears, and retractable blades are modified to accommodate the unique demands of each industry.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The new inventive concept introduces a paradigm shift by applying the lateral retractor system to entirely new fields, overcoming the limitations of the original patent. The inventive step lies in the creative adaptation of the core technology to address distinct challenges in various industries, resulting in novel and non-obvious solutions.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments of the inventive concept could include modifying the retractor system for underwater exploration, adapting the system for use in confined spaces, or integrating the system with autonomous vehicles. These variations would ensure broad conceptual coverage and further expand the inventive concept's applicability.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The inventive concept has significant commercial potential in various industries, including agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing, emergency response, and aerospace. The market demand for efficient, adaptable, and robust solutions in these fields is substantial, and the inventive concept is poised to capitalize on these opportunities.

CPC Classifications

Section	Class	Group
A	A61	A61B17/0206
A	A61	A61B17/025
A	A61	A61B17/7079
A	A61	A61B2017/00477
A	A61	A61B2017/0256

Section 103 Obviousness Analysis (PHOSITA)

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Field of Art

Medical device engineering, specifically surgical retraction systems and robotic mechanical interfaces with a focus on articulating mechanisms for accessing confined spaces

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A biomedical engineer or mechanical engineer with expertise in surgical instrumentation, robotic systems, and mechanical design, possessing knowledge of modular device architectures and cross-industry technology adaptation

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize that the fundamental mechanical principles of the lateral retractor system - pivoting armatures, gear-based positioning, and modular attachment mechanisms - are readily adaptable to alternative industrial applications. The core technological innovation involves translating a surgical navigation system into diverse environmental exploration contexts by substituting task-specific end effectors while maintaining the fundamental mechanical architecture.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element

Pivotable armatures with integrated gearing mechanism for precise positional control

PTD Variation

Applying the armature system to robotic harvesting, wind turbine inspection, and search and rescue environments

Obviousness Reasoning

The mechanical principles of controlled spatial navigation are universally applicable across domains, representing a predictable engineering adaptation with known techniques for end effector substitution

Source Patent Element

Retractable blade mechanism designed for creating surgical access corridors

PTD Variation

Modifying the retraction system to navigate through dense foliage, rubble, and confined industrial spaces

Obviousness Reasoning

A PHOSITA would recognize that the core mechanical design enabling controlled spatial penetration is transferable across different environmental contexts using standard mechanical engineering design principles

Source Patent Element

Modular attachment points for surgical instruments

PTD Variation

Integrating sensor arrays, cameras, cleaning heads, and robotic end effectors to the retractor system's base architecture

Obviousness Reasoning

The source patent's design inherently supports modular tool attachment, making cross-domain instrument integration an obvious and predictable engineering variation

Source Patent Element

Gear-based positioning and articulation mechanism

PTD Variation

Adapting the gear system for precise positioning in robotic and industrial exploration contexts

Obviousness Reasoning

Precision mechanical positioning is a universal engineering challenge, and translating a surgical positioning mechanism to alternative domains represents a standard design adaptation

Source Patent Element

Mechanical system designed for navigating through constrained anatomical spaces

PTD Variation

Extending the navigation capabilities to industrial, agricultural, and search and rescue environments

Obviousness Reasoning

The fundamental mechanical challenge of controlled spatial navigation is consistent across domains, making cross-context adaptation an obvious engineering solution

35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 103, the variations disclosed in the published technical disclosure would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention, as the fundamental mechanical principles of the lateral retractor system (US 11857173) are readily adaptable to diverse industrial and exploratory contexts through predictable engineering modifications and standard modular design techniques.

Original Patent Information

Patent Number	US 11,857,173
Title	Lateral retractor system and methods of use
Assignee(s)	Zimmer Biomet Spine, Inc.