Acetabular cup insertion tool

Claim 3

The apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising an assembly for aligning the implant in the desired anatomical location for insertion.

Claim 4

The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the assembly for aligning the implant comprises: a member for mounting to the outer housing in a desired orientation; a first arm extending outwardly from the mounting member; a second arm releasably connectable in a desired orientation to the first arm such that the second arm extends angularly from the first arm when connected thereto for alignment of the second arm with a remote anatomical location to thereby fix the orientation of the gripping segments relative to the desired anatomical location for insertion of the implant.

Claim 5

The apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein the second arm extends from the first arm when connected thereto at about a ninety degree angle and is connectable to the first arm in a left or a right orientation.

Claim 6

The apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein the outer housing has a mount, and the mounting member of the assembly for aligning the implant is comprised of: a post having a slot therein for receiving the mount of the outer housing in a first or second desired orientation; and, a member for holding the mount of the housing member in the slot.

Claim 9

The apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising a cap on the proximal end of the outer housing to provide an impact surface.

Claim 10

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the expansion member is an elongate rod having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end having a beveled edge and the proximal portion having a member operatively connected to the actuation member and being configured for cooperation with the hollow portion of the outer housing for limiting the movement of the expansion member in the extended direction.

Claim 13

The apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein the gripping segments each have an inner ramped surface for sliding contact with the beveled edge of the distal end of the expansion member and a flared annular outer perimeter for locking engagement with the implant.

Claim 14

The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein the implant is an acetabular cup having an outer surface, a generally concave inner surface, and an annular groove formed in the inner surface configured for locking engagement with the flared annular outer perimeter of the gripping segments when the gripping segments are inserted in the groove and the expansion member is in the extended position.

Claim 15

The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the elongate rod is moved between the extended position and the retracted position by rotating the shell through the arc of an angle of about ninety degrees.

Claim 16

An implant assembly comprising: an acetabular cup implant having an outer surface, a generally concave inner surface, and an annular groove formed in the inner surface; a tool for inserting and removing the implant from a desired anatomical location comprising: (a) an elongate outer housing having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a hollow portion in at least the distal end thereof, the distal end being comprised of a plurality of expandable gripping segments for engagement with the groove of the implant; (b) an expansion member housed in the hollow portion of the outer housing; (c) an actuation assembly for moving the expansion member between an extended position wherein the expansion member expands the gripping segments for locking engagement with the groove of the implant and a retracted position wherein the gripping segments contract for release of the gripping segments from the groove of the implant, the actuation assembly comprising a rotatable shell on the outer housing operatively connected to the expansion member such that rotational movement of the shell causes the expansion member to move between the extended and the retracted positions and an actuation member for converting the rotational movement of the shell into movement of the expansion member; (d) an assembly for aligning the implant in the desired anatomical location for insertion; and (e) a biasing member for biasing the expansion member in the extended position.

Claim 17

An implant assembly comprising: an acetabular cup implant having an outer surface, a generally concave inner surface, and an annular groove formed in the inner surface; a tool for inserting and removing the implant from a desired anatomical location comprising: (a) an elongate outer housing having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a hollow portion in at least the distal end thereof, the distal end being comprised of a plurality of expandable gripping segments for engagement with the groove of the implant; (b) an expansion member housed in the hollow portion of the outer housing; (c) an actuation assembly for moving the expansion member between an extended position wherein the expansion member expands the gripping segments for locking engagement with the groove of the implant and a retracted position wherein the gripping segments contract for release of the gripping segments from the groove of the implant, the actuation assembly comprising a rotatable shell on the outer housing operatively connected to the expansion member such that rotational movement of the shell causes the expansion member to move between the extended and the retracted positions and an actuation member for converting the rotational movement of the shell into movement of the expansion member; (d) an assembly for aligning the implant in the desired anatomical location for insertion; and (e) a biasing member for biasing the expansion member in the extended position.

Claim 18

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the biasing member is a spring.

Claim 19

The assembly recited in claim 13 wherein the expansion member is an elongate rod having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end having a beveled edge and the proximal portion having a member operatively connected to the actuation member and being configured for cooperation with the hollow portion of the outer housing for limiting the movement of the expansion member in the extended direction.

Claim 20

An implant assembly comprising: an acetabular cup implant having an outer surface, a generally concave inner surface, and an annular groove formed in the inner surface; a tool for inserting and removing the implant from a desired anatomical location comprising: (a) an elongate outer housing having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a hollow portion in at least the distal end thereof, the distal end being comprised of a plurality of expandable gripping segments for engagement with the groove of the implant; (b) an elongate rod housed in the hollow portion of the outer housing, the elongate rod having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end having a beveled edge and the proximal portion having a member operatively connected to the actuation member and being configured for cooperation with the hollow portion of the outer housing for limiting the movement of the elongate rod in the extended direction; (c) an actuation assembly for moving the elongate rod between an extended position wherein the elongate rod expands the gripping segments for locking engagement with the groove of the implant and a retracted position wherein the gripping segments contract for release of the gripping segments from the groove of the implant, the actuation assembly comprising a rotatable shell on the outer housing operatively connected to the elongate rod such that rotational movement of the shell causes the elongate rod to move between the extended and the retracted positions and an actuation member for converting the rotational movement of the shell into movement of the elongate rod, the actuation member comprising a rotatable sleeve affixed to the shell for movement therewith, the sleeve having opposing semi-spiral pathways in the surface thereof and a pin operatively attached to the proximal end of the elongate rod, the pin having opposing ends for sliding engagement with the pathways such that rotation of the shell and the sleeve slides the pin distally or proximally in the pathways for movement of the elongate rod in the extended or retracted positions, respectively; and (d) an assembly for aligning the implant in the desired anatomical location for insertion.

Claim 21

An implant assembly comprising: an acetabular cup implant having an outer surface, a generally concave inner surface, and an annular groove formed in the inner surface; a tool for inserting and removing the implant from a desired anatomical location comprising: (a) an elongate outer housing having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a hollow portion in at least the distal end thereof, the distal end being comprised of a plurality of expandable gripping segments for engagement with the groove of the implant; (b) an elongate rod housed in the hollow portion of the outer housing, the elongate rod having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end having a beveled edge and the proximal portion having a member operatively connected to the actuation member and being configured for cooperation with the hollow portion of the outer housing for limiting the movement of the elongate rod in the extended direction; (c) an actuation assembly for moving the elongate rod between an extended position wherein the elongate rod expands the gripping segments for locking engagement with the groove of the implant and a retracted position wherein the gripping segments contract for release of the gripping segments from the groove of the implant, the actuation assembly comprising a rotatable shell on the outer housing operatively connected to the elongate rod such that rotational movement of the shell causes the elongate rod to move between the extended and the retracted positions and an actuation member for converting the rotational movement of the shell into movement of the elongate rod, the actuation member comprising a rotatable sleeve affixed to the shell for movement therewith, the sleeve having opposing semi-spiral pathways in the surface thereof and a pin operatively attached to the proximal end of the elongate rod, the pin having opposing ends for sliding engagement with the pathways such that rotation of the shell and the sleeve slides the pin distally or proximally in the pathways for movement of the elongate rod in the extended or retracted positions, respectively; and (d) an assembly for aligning the implant in the desired anatomical location for insertion.

Claim 22

The assembly recited in claim 15 wherein the gripping segments each have an inner ramped surface for sliding contact with the beveled edge of the distal end of the expansion member and a flared annular outer perimeter for locking engagement with the annular groove of the implant.

Claim 23

The assembly recited in claim 17 wherein the annular groove has curved surfaces complementary to the flared annular outer perimeter of the gripping segments for locking engagement with the gripping segments when the gripping segments are inserted in the groove and the expansion member is in the extended position.

Claim 24

The assembly recited in claim 13 wherein the expansion member is moved between the extended position and the retracted position by rotating the shell through the arc of an angle of about ninety degrees.

Claim 25

The assembly recited in claim 13 wherein the assembly for aligning the implant comprises: a member for mounting to the outer housing in a desired orientation; a first arm extending outwardly from the mounting member; and, a second arm releasably connectable in a desired orientation to the first arm such that the second arm extends angularly from the first arm when connected thereto for alignment of the second arm with a remote anatomical location to thereby fix the orientation of the gripping segments relative to the desired anatomical location for insertion of the implant.