Patent US5733325A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0346521A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Spinal column fixation device
Assignee: DePuy Spine LLC
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Filing: 1988-07-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-07-27
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for connecting vertebrae (V) including a rod (22) and a fastener (24) for connecting the rod (22) with a vertebra (V) of a spinal column. The fastener (24) includes a screw (42) having a threaded portion (52) for connection with the vertebra (V). The screw (42) has a head (62) connected to one end of the threaded portion (52). The head (62) includes a bight portion (64) and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs (66, 68) extending from the bight portion (64). The pair of legs (66, 68) and the bight portion (64) define a cavity in the screw head (62). The rod (22) is receivable in the cavity in the screw head (62). A cap (44) is receivable on the pair of legs (66, 68) and deflects the pair of legs (66, 68) to clamp around the portion of the rod (22) received in the cavity in the screw head (62). The cap (44) is retained on the screw (42) so that movement of the rod (22) relative to the screw (42) is blocked.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W. Gaines, Jr., M.D.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:01
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/70; A61B17/7001; A61B17/7002; A61B17/7004; A61B17/7032; A61B17/7005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
An apparatus comprising: a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra of a spinal column, a bight portion fixed to said threaded portion and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs extending from said bight portion, said pair of legs and said bight portion having surfaces defining a cavity in said screw; a rod including a portion receivable in the cavity in said screw; a cap receivable on said pair of legs of said screw; and means for retaining said cap on said screw to block movement of said rod from the cavity in said screw.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
100 words
An apparatus comprising: a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra of a spinal column, a bight portion fixed to said threaded portion and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs extending from said bight portion, said pair of legs and said bight portion having surfaces defining a cavity in said screw; a rod including a portion receivable in the cavity in said screw; a cap receivable on said pair of legs of said screw; and means for retaining said cap on said screw to block movement of said rod from the cavity in said screw.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 further including means for deflecting at least one of said pair of legs to clamp said portion of said rod between said pair of legs and said bight portion to block relative movement between said rod and said screw.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
139 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said rod includes a first portion with a cross section in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod of a first width and a second portion with a cross section in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod of a second width greater than said first width, said first portion is receivable in the cavity in said screw and defines a recess in said rod and said rectaining means further includes a projection on said screw extending into the cavity in said screw and into the recess in said rod for engaging said second portion of said rod to block movement of said rod relative to said screw in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said rod.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus comprising: a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra, a bight portion fixed to said threaded portion and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs extending from said bight portion, said pair of legs and said bight portion having surfaces defining a cavity in said screw; a rod including a portion receivable in the cavity in said screw; and means for deflecting at least one of said pair of legs to clamp said portion of said rod between said pair of legs and said bight portion to block relative movement between said rod and said screw.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus comprising: a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra, a bight portion fixed to said threaded portion and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs extending from said bight portion, said pair of legs and said bight portion having surfaces defining a cavity in said screw; a rod including a portion receivable in the cavity in said screw; and means for deflecting at least one of said pair of legs to clamp said portion of said rod between said pair of legs and said bight portion to block relative movement between said rod and said screw.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
100 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said deflecting means includes a cap having surface means defining a cavity in said cap for receiving said pair of legs and a pair of projections, each of said projections extending transversely from a respective one of said pair of legs in a direction away from one another, said surface means defining the cavity in said cap having a width less than the width between the outermost extent of said projections for pressing said pair of legs relatively toward one another when said projections are received in the cavity in said cap.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
A fastener comprising: a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra, a bight portion fixed to said threaded portion and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs extending from said bight portion, said pair of legs and said bight portion having surfaces defining a cavity in said screw for receiving a portion of a member for interconnecting at least two vertebrae; and means for deflecting at least one of said pair of legs to clamp said portion of the member between said pair of legs and said bight portion to block movement of the member relative to said screw.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
103 words
A fastener comprising: a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra, a bight portion fixed to said threaded portion and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs extending from said bight portion, said pair of legs and said bight portion having surfaces defining a cavity in said screw for receiving a portion of a member for interconnecting at least two vertebrae; and means for deflecting at least one of said pair of legs to clamp said portion of the member between said pair of legs and said bight portion to block movement of the member relative to said screw.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
100 words
The fastener set forth in claim 6 wherein said deflecting means includes a cap having surface means defining a cavity in said cap for receiving said pair of legs and a pair of projections, each of said projections extending transversely from a respective one of said pair of legs in a direction away from one another, said surface means defining the cavity in said cap having a width less than the width between the outermost extents of said projections for pressing said pair of legs relatively toward one another when said projections are received in the cavity in said cap.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
129 words
The fastener set forth in claim 7 wherein each of said projections includes a cam surface and said cap includes surfaces for engaging a respective one of said cam surfaces to expand said cap over said projections and deflect said pair of legs relatively toward one another from an initial free state position as said cap is moved to a first position relatively toward said bight portion of said screw, said projections being received in the cavity in said cap when said cap is moved to a second position from the first position in a direction further toward said bight portion of said screw to block movement of said cap relative to said screw in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which said pair of legs extend.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
211 words
An apparatus comprising: an elongate rod including a first portion having a cross section taken in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod of a first width and a second portion axially adjacent said first portion and having a cross section taken in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod of a second width greater than said first width so said first portion defines a recess in said rod; a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra and a head fixed to said threaded portion, said head including surface means defining a cavity for receiving said first portion of said rod; means for blocking movement of said first portion of said rod relative to said head of said screw in a direction transverse to the longitudinal central axis of said rod when said rod is received in said cavity in said screw; and a portion of said surface means defining the cavity in said head of said screw being extendable into the recess in said rod and being engageable with said second portion of said rod to block movement of said rod relative to said fastener in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said rod.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
211 words
An apparatus comprising: an elongate rod including a first portion having a cross section taken in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod of a first width and a second portion axially adjacent said first portion and having a cross section taken in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod of a second width greater than said first width so said first portion defines a recess in said rod; a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra and a head fixed to said threaded portion, said head including surface means defining a cavity for receiving said first portion of said rod; means for blocking movement of said first portion of said rod relative to said head of said screw in a direction transverse to the longitudinal central axis of said rod when said rod is received in said cavity in said screw; and a portion of said surface means defining the cavity in said head of said screw being extendable into the recess in said rod and being engageable with said second portion of said rod to block movement of said rod relative to said fastener in a direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said rod.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 9 wherein said blocking means includes a cap having surface means defining a cavity in said cap for receiving a portion of said head of said screw and means for retaining said cap on said head of said screw.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 9 further including means for deflecting a portion of said head of said screw to clamp said first portion of said rod to block movement of said rod relative to said screw.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
167 words
An elongate rod connectable with first and second vertebrae for maintaining a predetermined relationship between the vertebrae, in which a screw connects said rod with one of the vertebrae and has a cavity for receiving a portion of said rod, said rod comprising: a first body portion including a circular cross section of a first diameter taken in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod; a second body portion located on an axially adjacent side of said first body portion and including a circular cross section taken in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod of a second diameter which is greater than said first diameter; said first body portion defining a recess and being receivable in the cavity of the screw; and said second body portion being engageable with a surface on the screw to block movement of said rod relative to the screw in one direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said rod.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
167 words
An elongate rod connectable with first and second vertebrae for maintaining a predetermined relationship between the vertebrae, in which a screw connects said rod with one of the vertebrae and has a cavity for receiving a portion of said rod, said rod comprising: a first body portion including a circular cross section of a first diameter taken in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod; a second body portion located on an axially adjacent side of said first body portion and including a circular cross section taken in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis of said rod of a second diameter which is greater than said first diameter; said first body portion defining a recess and being receivable in the cavity of the screw; and said second body portion being engageable with a surface on the screw to block movement of said rod relative to the screw in one direction parallel to the longitudinal central axis of said rod.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
195 words
A fastener for connection with a connecting member having a first portion defining a recess in the connecting member and having a cross section of a width less than the width of a second portion adjacent the first portion, said fastener comprising: a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra, a bight portion fixed to said threaded portion, and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs extending from said bight portion, said pair of legs and said bight portion having surfaces defining a cavity in said screw for receiving the first portion of the connecting member; a cap receivable on said pair of legs and including means for retaining said cap on said pair of legs to block movement of the connecting member from the cavity in said screw in a direction transverse to the longitudinal central axis of the cavity in said screw; and one of said surfaces defining the cavity in said screw for projecting into the recess in the connecting member to block movement of the connecting member relative to said screw in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the cavity in said screw.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
195 words
A fastener for connection with a connecting member having a first portion defining a recess in the connecting member and having a cross section of a width less than the width of a second portion adjacent the first portion, said fastener comprising: a screw including a threaded portion for connection with a vertebra, a bight portion fixed to said threaded portion, and a pair of spaced apart resiliently deflectable legs extending from said bight portion, said pair of legs and said bight portion having surfaces defining a cavity in said screw for receiving the first portion of the connecting member; a cap receivable on said pair of legs and including means for retaining said cap on said pair of legs to block movement of the connecting member from the cavity in said screw in a direction transverse to the longitudinal central axis of the cavity in said screw; and one of said surfaces defining the cavity in said screw for projecting into the recess in the connecting member to block movement of the connecting member relative to said screw in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the cavity in said screw.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
101 words
The fastener set forth in claim 13 wherein said retaining means includes a projection extending transversely from each of said pair of legs in a direction away from one another and wherein said cap includes surface means defining a cavity for receiving said pair of legs therein, said surface means defining the cavity in said cap having a width less than the width between the outermost extents of said projections for pressing said pair of legs relatively toward one another to clamp a portion of said screw about said rod when said projections are received in the cavity in said cap.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE2649042B1
Cited
DE3614101C1
Cited
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