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EP0767631B1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Reversible bone screw lock

Assignee: Zimmer Spine Inc
•
Filing: 1995-06-30
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Granted: 2000-12-27
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Expires: 2015-06-30
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Abstract

Abstract A medical bone screw including a lock to lessen the possibility of pull-out or screw-out. The screw may be any bone screw including a cannula. A wire spring is inserted partially into the cannula prior to use. Once in position, the wire spring is pushed further down the cannula until its ends may project out side openings in the screw. These projections lock the screw in place. Further depression of the wire spring disengages them so the screw may be removed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Douglas W. Kohrs

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 03:25
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/84; A61B17/86; A61B17/8685; A61B17/74; A61B17/742; A61B17/88; A61B17/8872; A61B2017/00831; A61B2017/00867; A61B17/04; A61B17/0401; A61B2017/0409; A61B2017/8655

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 147 words
A reversible cannulated bone screw (10) including a threaded shaft (11), a head (18) for turning said screw and a cannula (16) extending from said head along the length of said screw, characterized by: a) at least one side opening (24, 26) formed through said threaded shaft to communicate with said cannula, b) a spring (12) including at least one spring end (28, 30) inserted into said screw cannula, said spring being constructed and arranged such that depression of said spring down said cannula away from said head causes at least one spring end to project through at least one of said side openings, said spring further being constructed and arranged such that once inserted into said cannula, no portions extends above the screw head, and that by further depressing the spring distally, the spring disengages the bone so that the screw may be removed or repositioned.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 39 words
The bone screw of claim 1, wherein said at least one side opening includes a pair of opposed side openings (24, 26), said spring including two spring ends (28, 30), each of which may extend through a side opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
The bone screw of claim 2, wherein said cannula includes locating means (20, 22, 38, 40) for inserting said spring within said screw such that said spring ends align with said side openings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The bone screw of claim 3, wherein said spring is a generally V-shaped spring wire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 74 words
The bone screw according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said cannula includes opposing spring guide grooves (20, 22, 38, 40) extending from said head to said side openings (24, 26; 44, 46) for guiding said spring ends (28, 30) to said side openings, said cannula extending from said head distally of said side openings such that said spring ends may re-enter the cannula distally of the side openings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
The bone screw according to one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said shaft includes a second pair of side openings (46) spaced directly distally of said first side openings (44).

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