Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus employing a plurality of rotary reamer tools for producing a recess in the posterior surface of a patella for receiving a patellar implant, the apparatus comprising: (a) a guide bushing having a guide opening therethrough; (b) bushing positioning means for positioning and securing the guide bushing against the posterior surface of the patella in an operating position with the guide opening covering a total area of the patella to be recessed; and (c) reamer guide means associated with the guide bushing, the reamer guide means for fixing a cutting face of each rotary reamer tool in at least one reaming position with the total area to be recessed when the guide bushing is in the operating position, the cutting face of the rotary reaming tool in each different position covering a different portion of the total area to be recessed, and such different portions combining to approximate an oblong area.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus employing a plurality of rotary reamer tools for producing a recess in the posterior surface of a patella for receiving a patellar implant, the apparatus comprising: (a) a guide bushing having a guide opening therethrough; (b) bushing positioning means for positioning and securing the guide bushing against the posterior surface of the patella in an operating position with the guide opening covering a total area of the patella to be recessed; and (c) reamer guide means associated with the guide bushing, the reamer guide means for fixing a cutting face of each rotary reamer tool in at least one reaming position with the total area to be recessed when the guide bushing is in the operating position, the cutting face of the rotary reaming tool in each different position covering a different portion of the total area to be recessed, and such different portions combining to approximate an oblong area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
124 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reamer guide means includes: (a) at least one reamer guide member, each reamer guide member having a transverse cross-sectional shape enabling it to be received snugly in a guide position within the guide opening of the guide bushing; and (b) a shaft opening in each reamer guide member extending substantially parallel with the guide opening of the guide bushing when said reamer guide member is positioned in the guide position, the shaft opening for receiving a shaft of one of said rotary reamer tools and determining the reaming position of said rotary reamer tool received therein when said reamer guide member is received in the guide position and the guide bushing is received in the operating position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each reamer guide member includes a stop structure associated with the reamer shaft opening therein, the stop structure for controlling the depth to which one of said rotary reamer tools may be inserted through the shaft opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: (a) the recess for receiving the patellar implant is substantially oval-shaped; (b) the reamer guide means includes a single reamer guide member; and (c) the single reamer guide member may be received in a first and a second guide position within the guide opening of the guide bushing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: (a) the recess for receiving the patellar implant is substantially tri-oval shaped.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the reamer guide means comprises: (a) a guide surface formed within the guide opening of the guide bushing, the guide surface extending substantially perpendicularly with respect to the posterior surface of the patella when the guide bushing is in the operating position and substantially defining the total area to be recessed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
148 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bushing positioning means includes: (a) an inferior clamp member; (b) a superior clamp member; (c) grip means to which both the inferior clamp member and the superior clamp member are connected, the grip means for controlling the position of the inferior and superior clamp members with respect to each other; (d) a guide bushing receiving structure formed on the superior clamp member for receiving the guide bushing and locking the guide bushing in place with respect to the superior damp member; and (e) locking means associated with the grip means for locking the inferior and superior clamp members in a spaced apart position gripping the patella to be recessed, with the inferior clamp member adjacent to the anterior side of the patella and the superior clamp member, and the guide bushing received therein adjacent to the posterior side of the patella.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the guide bushing receiving structure comprises: (a) a U-shaped structure formed on a distal end of the superior clamp member; and (b) bushing locking means associated with the superior clamp member for contacting a portion contacting a portion of the guide bushing received in the U-shaped structure and locking the guide bushing in position with respect to the U-shaped structure.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
163 words
An apparatus for producing a recess in the posterior surface of a patella for receiving a patellar implant, the apparatus comprising: (a) a guide bushing having a guide opening therethrough; (b) bushing position means for positioning and securing the guide bushing against the posterior surface of the patella in an operating position in which the guide opening covers a total area to be recessed; (c) a rotary reamer tool having an elongated shank and a cutting head with a cutting face formed thereon; and (d) reamer guide means associated with the guide bushing, the reamer guide means for fixing the cutting face of the rotary reamer tool in a plurality of reaming positions within the total area to be recessed when the guide bushing is in the operating position, the cutting face of the rotary reamer tool in each different reaming position covering a different portion of the total area to be recessed and such different portions combining to approximate an oblong area.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
163 words
An apparatus for producing a recess in the posterior surface of a patella for receiving a patellar implant, the apparatus comprising: (a) a guide bushing having a guide opening therethrough; (b) bushing position means for positioning and securing the guide bushing against the posterior surface of the patella in an operating position in which the guide opening covers a total area to be recessed; (c) a rotary reamer tool having an elongated shank and a cutting head with a cutting face formed thereon; and (d) reamer guide means associated with the guide bushing, the reamer guide means for fixing the cutting face of the rotary reamer tool in a plurality of reaming positions within the total area to be recessed when the guide bushing is in the operating position, the cutting face of the rotary reamer tool in each different reaming position covering a different portion of the total area to be recessed and such different portions combining to approximate an oblong area.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
122 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the reamer guide means includes: (a) at least one reamer guide member, each reamer guide member having a transverse cross-sectional shape enabling it to be received snugly in a guide position within the guide opening of the guide bushing; and (b) a shaft opening in each reamer guide member extending substantially parallel with the guide opening of the guide bushing when said reamer guide member is positioned in the guide position, the shaft opening for receiving the shaft of the rotary reamer tool and determining the reaming position of the rotary reamer tool received therein when said reamer guide member is received in the guide position and the guide bushing is received in the operating position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each reamer guide member includes a stop structure associated with the reamer shaft opening therein, the stop structure for controlling the depth to which the rotary reamer tool may be inserted through the shaft opening.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein: (a) the recess for receiving the patellar implant is substantially oval-shaped; (b) the reamer guide means includes a single reamer guide member; and (c) the single reamer guide member may be received in a first and second guide position within the guide opening of the guide bushing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the reamer guide means comprises: (a) a guide surface formed within the guide opening of the guide bushing, the guide surface extending substantially perpendicularly to the posterior surface of the patella when the guide bushing is in the operating position and substantially defining the total area to be recessed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
148 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the bushing positioning means includes: (a) an inferior clamp member; (b) a superior clamp member; (c) grip means to which both the inferior clamp member and the superior clamp member are connected, the grip means for controlling the position of the inferior and superior clamp members with respect to each other; (d) a guide bushing receiving structure formed on the superior clamp member for receiving the guide bushing and locking the guide bushing in place with respect to the superior clamp member; and (e) locking means associated with the grip means for locking the inferior and superior clamp members in a spaced apart position gripping the patella to be recessed, with the inferior clamp member adjacent to the anterior side of the patella and the superior clamp member, and the guide bushing received therein, adjacent to the posterior side of the patella.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the guide bushing receiving structure comprises: (a) a U-shaped structure formed on a distal end of the superior clamp member; and (b) a bushing locking means associated with the superior clamp member for contacting a portion of the guide bushing received in the U-shaped structure and locking the guide bushing in position with respect to the U-shaped structure.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for producing a patellar recess for receiving an anatomically shaped patellar implant, the method comprising the steps of: (a) securing a guide bushing in an operating position against the posterior surface of the patella to be recessed, the guide bushing having a guide opening therethrough and the guide opening covering a total area to be recessed when the guide bushing is secured in the operating position; (b) sequentially positioning at least one rotary reamer tool in a plurality of different reaming positions within the guide opening of the guide bushing; and (c) during the time that each rotary reamer tool is positioned in the respective reaming position, driving the rotary reamer tool to produce a separate intermediate recess in the patella, the separate intermediate recesses combining to form a continuous oblong recess approximating the total area to be recessed.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for producing a patellar recess for receiving an anatomically shaped patellar implant, the method comprising the steps of: (a) securing a guide bushing in an operating position against the posterior surface of the patella to be recessed, the guide bushing having a guide opening therethrough and the guide opening covering a total area to be recessed when the guide bushing is secured in the operating position; (b) sequentially positioning at least one rotary reamer tool in a plurality of different reaming positions within the guide opening of the guide bushing; and (c) during the time that each rotary reamer tool is positioned in the respective reaming position, driving the rotary reamer tool to produce a separate intermediate recess in the patella, the separate intermediate recesses combining to form a continuous oblong recess approximating the total area to be recessed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of sequentially positioning at least one rotary reamer tool includes the step of: (a) sequentially positioning at least one reamer guide member in a plurality of guide positions within the guide opening of the guide bushing, each reamer guide member having a reamer shaft opening therethrough for receiving the shaft of a rotary reamer tool, and each reamer guide member fixing the position of the rotary reamer associated therewith within the total area to be recessed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
121 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of sequentially positioning at least one reamer guide member in the guide opening of the guide bushing comprises the steps of: (a) positioning a first reamer guide member in a first guide position within the guide bushing opening in which first guide position the rotary reamer tool associated with the first reamer guide member is aligned in a first reaming position; (b) removing the first reamer guide member from the first guide position; and (c) repositioning the first reamer guide member in a second guide position within the guide bushing opening, in which second guide position the rotary reamer tool associated with the first guide member is aligned in a second reaming position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the step of sequentially positioning at least one guide member in the guide opening of the guide bushing further includes: (a) removing the first reamer guide member from the second guide position; (b) positioning a second rotary reamer tool in a third guide position within the opening of the guide bushing, in which third guide position the second rotary reamer tool is aligned in a third reaming position.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of securing the guide bushing in the operating position comprises: (a) securing the guide bushing to a superior clamp member; and (b) clamping the patella between the guide busing and an inferior clamp member with the guide bushing adjacent the posterior surface of the patella and the inferior clamp member adjacent the anterior surface of the patella.