US5269809A — Locking mechanism for use with a slotted suture a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 134 words

An anchor and a strand of suture material in combination, said anchor comprising a body having a leading end and a trailing end, a slot extending from said trailing end toward said leading end, a portion of said strand being at least partially disposable in said slot, means for attaching said strand of suture material to said leading end of said body with said strand extending from said leading end at least partially through said body, said strand being shiftable between an insertion position in which said strand extends from said body at the trailing end and a toggle position in which said strand extends from said body through said slot, and locking means, carried by said strand, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said locking means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 134 words

An anchor and a strand of suture material in combination, said anchor comprising a body having a leading end and a trailing end, a slot extending from said trailing end toward said leading end, a portion of said strand being at least partially disposable in said slot, means for attaching said strand of suture material to said leading end of said body with said strand extending from said leading end at least partially through said body, said strand being shiftable between an insertion position in which said strand extends from said body at the trailing end and a toggle position in which said strand extends from said body through said slot, and locking means, carried by said strand, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said locking means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

The combination of claim 1 further including a locking member for cooperating with said locking means to hold said combination together to secure at least two pieces of tissue together.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The combination of claim 2 wherein said locking means includes a series of stops disposed on its exterior surface for mating with said locking member.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 13 words

The combination of claim 3 wherein said stops are alternating ridges and depressions.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The combination of claim 2 wherein said anchor, said strand, said locking means and said locking member are made from a bioabsorbable material.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 11 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said body is a tube.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said trailing end defines a trailing face disposed at an oblique angle to the central axis of said body.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 14 words

The combination of claim 7 wherein said trailing face is inclined toward said slot.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said slot has a width and a depth sufficient to fully accommodate said portion of said strand.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 88 words

A locking element for securing tissue relative to an anchor, comprising an elongated body defining internally means for fastening said body to a first portion of a suture, another portion of the suture being attachable to the anchor, and means, disposed on the exterior of said body, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said body and thereby secure the tissue between the locking member and the anchor, said means for fastening including a longitudinal passage through which the suture is insertable.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 88 words

A locking element for securing tissue relative to an anchor, comprising an elongated body defining internally means for fastening said body to a first portion of a suture, another portion of the suture being attachable to the anchor, and means, disposed on the exterior of said body, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said body and thereby secure the tissue between the locking member and the anchor, said means for fastening including a longitudinal passage through which the suture is insertable.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

The locking element of claim 10 wherein said body is formed of a material which enables it to be compressed onto the suture within said passage to fasten said body to the suture.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

The locking element of claim 11 wherein said material is capable of sufficient compression to enable said means for engaging to be established on said body after the suture is inserted through said passage.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The locking element of claim 12 wherein said means for engaging is establishable on said body as a plurality of ridges formed on said body.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The locking element of claim 10 where said means for fastening includes distal means for attaching to the first portion of the suture, and proximal means for attaching to a terminal portion of a second suture.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 124 words

A suture anchor and suture in combination comprising: a suture; an elongated anchor; said suture having a knot tied adjacent a terminal end of said suture and engaging a first end of said anchor; said anchor having a slot extending from a second end to a slot base intermediate the first and second ends; said suture being threaded through said anchor from the first end axially through said anchor and through the second end in an insertion position and being shifted through the slot during deployment to a deployed position wherein said suture extends from said anchor at the slot base; and locking means, carried by said suture, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said locking means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 124 words

A suture anchor and suture in combination comprising: a suture; an elongated anchor; said suture having a knot tied adjacent a terminal end of said suture and engaging a first end of said anchor; said anchor having a slot extending from a second end to a slot base intermediate the first and second ends; said suture being threaded through said anchor from the first end axially through said anchor and through the second end in an insertion position and being shifted through the slot during deployment to a deployed position wherein said suture extends from said anchor at the slot base; and locking means, carried by said suture, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said locking means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

The combination of claim 15 further including a locking member for cooperating with said locking means to hold said combination together to secure at least two pieces of tissue together.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 25 words

The combination of claim 16 wherein said locking means includes a series of stops disposed on its exterior surface for mating with said locking member.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 13 words

The combination of claim 17 wherein said stops are alternating ridges and depressions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

The combination of claim 16 wherein said anchor, said strand, said locking means and said locking member are made from a bioabsorbable material.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 11 words

The combination of claim 15 wherein said body is a tube.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 25 words

The combination of claim 15 wherein said trailing end defines a trailing face disposed at an oblique angle to the central axis of said body.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 14 words

The combination of claim 21 wherein said trailing face is inclined toward said slot.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 46 words

A locking element permanently attachable to a suture comprising an elongated body defining a longitudinal passage through which the suture is insertable and means, disposed on the exterior of said body, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said body.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 46 words

A locking element permanently attachable to a suture comprising an elongated body defining a longitudinal passage through which the suture is insertable and means, disposed on the exterior of said body, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said body.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 33 words

The locking element of claim 23 wherein said body is formed of a material which enables it to be compressed onto the suture within said passage to fasten said body to the suture.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 34 words

The locking element of claim 23 wherein said body is formed of a material which enables said means for engaging to be established on said body after the suture is inserted through said body.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 23 words

The locking element of claim 25 wherein said means for engaging is a series of alternating depressions and ridges formed on said body.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 23 words

The locking element of claim 23 wherein said means for engaging is a series of alternating depressions and ridges formed on said body.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 101 words

An elongated suture locking element in combination with first and second sections of suture each having proximal and distal portions, the distal portion of the first section being attachable to an anchor member, the locking element comprising an elongated body including a distal end having distal means for attaching to the proximal portion of the first suture section, the proximal suture portion being attached thereto, a proximal end having proximal means for attaching to the distal portion of the second suture section, the distal suture portion being attached thereto, and a center portion having means for engaging a separate locking member.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 101 words

An elongated suture locking element in combination with first and second sections of suture each having proximal and distal portions, the distal portion of the first section being attachable to an anchor member, the locking element comprising an elongated body including a distal end having distal means for attaching to the proximal portion of the first suture section, the proximal suture portion being attached thereto, a proximal end having proximal means for attaching to the distal portion of the second suture section, the distal suture portion being attached thereto, and a center portion having means for engaging a separate locking member.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 22 words

The combination of claim 28 wherein said means for engaging include a plurality of ribs for interlocking with the separate locking member.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 35 words

The combination of claim 28 wherein said distal and proximal means for attaching to said first and second suture sections each include a passage through which the proximal and distal suture portions, respectively, are insertable.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 15 words

The combination of claim 28 wherein said locking element is made from a bioabsorbable material.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 15 words

The locking element of claim 10 wherein said body is permanently attachable to the suture.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 57 words

A suture and locking element in combination comprising: a suture; and a locking element permanently attached to a portion of said suture and having a longitudinal passage through which said suture extends and means, disposed on an exterior surface of said body, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said body.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 57 words

A suture and locking element in combination comprising: a suture; and a locking element permanently attached to a portion of said suture and having a longitudinal passage through which said suture extends and means, disposed on an exterior surface of said body, for engaging a separate locking member to secure the locking member relative to said body.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 20 words

The combination of claim 33 in which said means for engaging includes a plurality of stops formed on said body.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 36 words

The combination of claim 34 further including a washer-like element as said separate locking member, said washer-like element defining a passage through which said elongated body is insertable to engage at least one of said stops.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 33 words

The combination of claim 30 wherein said first section passage and said second section passage each communicate with an outer end surface of said distal and proximal ends, respectively, of said locking element.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 52 words

The combination of claim 36 further including a washer-like element as said separate locking member, said washer-like element defining a passage through which said elongated body is insertable to engage at least one of said stops, and said means for engaging includes a plurality of stops for interlocking with said locking member.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-12-13	1997-06-14	1997-12-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-12-13	2001-06-14	2001-12-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-12-13	2005-06-14	2005-12-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Locking mechanism for use with a slotted suture anchor

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