User blog comment:Tekkphreke/Question on Zanpakuto Rebellion/@comment-4957813-20130827220551/@comment-11051098-20130828170428

If I remember correctly, Ichigo stabbed Urahara's device with his sword, which basically means that he materialized his Zanpakutô's spirit himself. He just got help and acceleration in doing so from Urahara's device.