SURGICAL IMPACTION CENTERING APPARATUS AND METHOD

1 . An axially-impactful device for imparting a force on a portion of a prosthesis to be installed in an installation direction with said prosthesis including an attachment structure, comprising:

a rod having a shaft including a proximal stop and a distal stop spaced apart from said proximal stop, said rod including a proximal end, a distal end spaced apart from said distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending from said proximal end to said distal end through said rod;

a hammer slidingly coupled to said shaft between said stops; and

an attachment system coupled to said distal end, said attachment system configured to both engage the attachment structure and align said longitudinal axis with the installation direction.

2 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a force transfer engine coupled to said rod and to said hammer, said force transfer engine responding to an actuation control to move said hammer along said shaft towards said distal stop and subsequently have said hammer strike said distal stop with an axial installation force, said rod transferring said axial installation force to said distal end.

3 . The device of claim 2 wherein said force transfer engine produces a predetermined axial installation force in response to said actuation signal.

4 . The device of claim 2 wherein said force transfer engine includes a cockup mechanical apparatus having a spring coupled to said hammer.

5 . The device of claim 3 wherein said force transfer engine includes a cockup mechanical apparatus having a spring coupled to said hammer.

6 . The device of claim 2 wherein said force transfer engine includes a robot control apparatus having a robotic actuator coupled to said hammer.

7 . The device of claim 3 wherein said force transfer engine includes a robot control apparatus having a robotic actuator coupled to said hammer.

8 . The device of claim 2 wherein said force transfer engine includes a pneumatic apparatus including a pressurized fluid coupled to said hammer.

9 . The device of claim 3 wherein said force transfer engine includes a pneumatic apparatus including a pressurized fluid coupled to said hammer.

10 . The device of claim 3 wherein said predetermined axial installation force is fixed and non-adjustable.

11 . The device of claim 3 wherein said predetermined axial installation force is variable and adjustable.

12 . The device of claim 11 wherein said predetermined axial installation force is selected from a set of different predetermined values.

13 . The device of claim 1 wherein the prosthesis includes an acetabular cup having a generally semispherical exterior wall with an apex defining a prosthesis plane tangent to said exterior wall, wherein the attachment structure is disposed proximate said apex and parallel to said prosthesis plane, and wherein said rod is normal to said prosthesis plane.

14 . The device of claim 13 wherein said distal stop includes an impact surface stricken by said hammer, and wherein said impact surface defines an impact plane generally coplanar with said prosthesis plane.

15 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensor coupled to said rod, said pressure sensor configured to provide feedback regarding an applied force to the prosthesis responsive to said hammer striking said distal stop.

16 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a sound sensor acoustically coupled to the prosthesis, said sound sensor configured to provide feedback regarding a seatedness of the prosthesis at an installation site responsive to said hammer striking said distal stop.

17 . The device of claim 15 further comprising a sound sensor acoustically coupled to the prosthesis, said sound sensor configured to provide feedback regarding a seatedness of the prosthesis at an installation site responsive to said hammer striking said distal stop.

18 . The device of claim 1 wherein the prosthesis includes a component prosthesis having a trunion and a head to be installed onto said trunion, said trunion including an installation axis, said head including a bore complementary to a taper of said trunion with said bore including a bore axis with said bore axis aligned with said installation axis when said head is installed onto said trunion taper, and wherein said attachment structure aligns said longitudinal axis with said bore axis and with said installation axis with the installation direction co-aligning said bore axis with said installation axis.

19 . The device of claim 18 further comprising a force transfer engine coupled to said rod and to said hammer, said force transfer engine responding to an actuation signal to move said hammer along said shaft towards said distal stop and subsequently have said hammer strike said distal stop with an axial installation force, said rod transferring said axial installation force to said distal end.

20 . The device of claim 18 further comprising a pressure sensor coupled to said rod, said pressure sensor configured to provide feedback regarding an applied force to the prosthesis responsive to said hammer striking said distal stop.

21 . The device of claim 18 further comprising a sound sensor acoustically coupled to the prosthesis, said sound sensor configured to provide feedback regarding a seatedness of the prosthesis at an installation site responsive to said hammer striking said distal stop.

22 . A method for imparting for imparting a force on a portion of a prosthesis to be installed in an installation direction with said prosthesis including an attachment structure, comprising:

a) coupling a rod to the attachment structure, said rod having a shaft including a proximal stop and a distal stop spaced apart from said proximal stop, said rod including a proximal end, a distal end spaced apart from said distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending from said proximal end to said distal end through said rod wherein said rod further includes a hammer slidingly coupled to said shaft between said stops; and

b) sliding said hammer along a path defined by said shaft to produce a strike against said distal stop;

c) transferring, responsive to said strike, an axially-constrained non-torqueing force to the prosthesis.

23 . The method of claim 22 further comprising:

d) controlling an impact profile of said strike of said hammer against said distal stop using a force transfer engine coupled to said rod and to said hammer, said force transfer engine responding to an actuation control to move said hammer along said shaft towards said distal stop and subsequently have said hammer produce said strike against said distal stop with an axial installation force, said rod transferring said axial installation force to said distal end.

24 . The method of claim 23 wherein said force transfer engine produces a predetermined axial installation force in response to said actuation signal.

25 . The method of claim 23 wherein said force transfer engine includes a cockup mechanical apparatus having a spring coupled to said hammer.

26 . The method of claim 24 wherein said force transfer engine includes a cockup mechanical apparatus having a spring coupled to said hammer.

27 . The method of claim 23 wherein said force transfer engine includes a robot control apparatus having a robotic actuator coupled to said hammer.

28 . The method of claim 24 wherein said force transfer engine includes a robot control apparatus having a robotic actuator coupled to said hammer.

29 . The method of claim 23 wherein said force transfer engine includes a pneumatic apparatus including a pressurized fluid coupled to said hammer.

30 . The method of claim 24 wherein said force transfer engine includes a pneumatic apparatus including a pressurized fluid coupled to said hammer.

31 . The method of claim 24 wherein said predetermined axial installation force is fixed and non-adjustable.

32 . The method of claim 24 wherein said predetermined axial installation force is variable and adjustable.

33 . The method of claim 32 wherein said predetermined axial installation force is selected from a set of different predetermined values.