Orthopedic fixation pin holder

Claim 1

In a pin holder for use on an orthopedic external fixation device comprising a body member adapted to be mounted to said external fixation device, a first aperture extending through said body member sized to receive a pin therein, a second aperture extending through said body member aligned with and oriented perpendicular to said first aperture, including an enlarged aperture portion initiating at one end of said second aperture and terminating at a distance spaced from the opposite end of said second aperture, and a locking member slidingly positioned within said enlarged aperture portion including a pin receiving aperture oriented parallel to said first aperture, said locking member including means for reciprocating said locking member within said enlarged aperture portion to cause said pin receiving aperture and said first aperture to tightly contact opposite sides of a pin inserted through said apertures, said improvement comprising: a V-shaped recess formed on opposing wall portions of said pin receiving aperture and said first aperture, said recesses tangentially contacting said pin at discrete locations along the diameter of said pin to apply a shear force to said pin to positively clamp said pin in said pin holder.