US4604997A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Articulated mini external fixation device
Assignee: Orthofix International BV
•
Filing: 1985-01-23
•
Granted: 1986-08-12
•
Expires: 2005-01-23
Abstract
Abstract The invention contemplates orthopedic external minifixation apparatus comprising two articulated members having two clamps, each of which is carried by a different one of the articulated members. The articulating connection between members includes provision for simple and rapid alignment of the articulation axis with the articulation axis of the joint between two bones to be treated, thereby permitting early functional re-education and reduction of healing time. In its preferred form, several embodiments are disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Giovanni De Bastiani
- 👤 Lodovico R. Brivio
- 👤 Roberto Aldegheri
- 👤 Giovanni Faccioli
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 09:50
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/60; A61B17/64; A61B17/6425; A61B17/66
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
An articulated external minifixator device, comprising two elongate arms with a single-axis articulating connection of adjacent ends of said arms, said connection being characterized by an alignment guide bore on the axis of articulation, first clamping means including spaced guideways adpated for clamping at least two orthopedic pins which are longitudinally spaced and oriented transverse to the direction of elongation of one of said arms, said first clamping means being at offset from the articulation axis, second clamping means including spaced guideways adapted for clamping at least two orthopedic pins which are longitudinally spaced and oriented transverse to the direction of elongation of the other of said arms, said second clamping means being at offset from the articulation axis, and means including a longitudinal lead screw in one of said arms and egaging the clamping means of said one arm for selective longitudinal positioning adjustment of the clamping means of said one arm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
An articulated external minifixator device, comprising two elongate arms with a single-axis articulating connection of adjacent ends of said arms, said connection being characterized by an alignment guide bore on the axis of articulation, first clamping means including spaced guideways adpated for clamping at least two orthopedic pins which are longitudinally spaced and oriented transverse to the direction of elongation of one of said arms, said first clamping means being at offset from the articulation axis, second clamping means including spaced guideways adapted for clamping at least two orthopedic pins which are longitudinally spaced and oriented transverse to the direction of elongation of the other of said arms, said second clamping means being at offset from the articulation axis, and means including a longitudinal lead screw in one of said arms and egaging the clamping means of said one arm for selective longitudinal positioning adjustment of the clamping means of said one arm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 1, in which the pin-supporting guideways of said clamping means are in spaced parallel relation, extending transversely of the involved arms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 2, in which the pin-supporting guideways are also parallel to the articulation axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The device of claim 2, in which the pin-supporting guideways extend on axes which are in a single geometrical plane, and in which the articulation axis is normal to said plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 2, in which for each arm the pin-supporting guideways extend on axes which are in a geometrical plane which also includes the articulation axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 1, wherein further clamping means coacting between said arms is selectively operable to fix an adjusted articulation angle between said arms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The device of claim 1, wherein at said articulated connection between said arms, one of said arms is characterized by a forked end having spaced parallel tyne formations and the other of said arms is characterized by a shank received between the tyne formations of said one arm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 7, in which a hollow tubular pin is the means of articulated connection of said arms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device of claim 8, in which said tubular pin is headed at one end for referencing abutment with one of said tyne formations, said pin having threaded engagement to the other of said tyne formations and being free of threaded engagement to both said one tyne and said shank.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device of claim 9, in which the other end of said tubular pin is flared for axial-retention within said other tynes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 10, in which a washer is interposed between said flared end and said other tyne.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
The device of claim 1, in which said clamping means of said one arm comprises a base member having longitudinally guided engagement to said one arm, said base member having a jaw portion with spaced parallel guideways adapted to receive orthopedic pins, a further jaw member with cooperating guideways facing the guideways of said jaw portion, and a clamping screw between the guideways of said jaw portion and of said jaw member for clamping orthopedic pins between the respective cooperating guideways.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
91 words
The device of claim 1, in which at least one of said clamping means comprises two plates each of which has two opposingly spaced parallel guideways adapted for orthopedic-pin engagement, and a clamping screw adapted to squeeze the jaw plates in clamped engagement upon two orthopedic pins in the guideways, the clamping screw having threaded engagement to a part of the involved arm, whereby a setting of the clamping means will retain the spaced relation of two orthpodeic pins in a selected angular relation about the axis of the clamping screw.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
148 words
An articulated external miniflixator device, comprising two elongate arms with an articulating connection of adjacent ends of said arms, said connection being characterized by a single axis of articulation, first clamping means including spaced guideways adapted for clamping at least two orthopedic pins which are longitudinally spaced and oriented transverse to the direction of elongation of one of said arms, said first clamping means being at offset from the articulation axis, second clamping means including spaced guideways adapted for clamping at least two orthopedic pins which are longitudinally spaced and oriented transverse to the direction of elongation of the other of said arms, said second clamping means being at offset from the articualtion axis, and means including a longitudinal lead screw in one of said arms and engaging the clamping means of said one arm for selective longitudinal positioning adjustment of the clamping means of said one arm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
148 words
An articulated external miniflixator device, comprising two elongate arms with an articulating connection of adjacent ends of said arms, said connection being characterized by a single axis of articulation, first clamping means including spaced guideways adapted for clamping at least two orthopedic pins which are longitudinally spaced and oriented transverse to the direction of elongation of one of said arms, said first clamping means being at offset from the articulation axis, second clamping means including spaced guideways adapted for clamping at least two orthopedic pins which are longitudinally spaced and oriented transverse to the direction of elongation of the other of said arms, said second clamping means being at offset from the articualtion axis, and means including a longitudinal lead screw in one of said arms and engaging the clamping means of said one arm for selective longitudinal positioning adjustment of the clamping means of said one arm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
95 words
The device of claim 14, in which at least one of said clamping means comprises a jaw member having a clamping face with two spaced parallel guideways each of which is adapted to locate an orthopedic pin, said jaw member having a clamp-screw bore between said guideways and on an alignment prependicular to the geometirc plane of pins received in said guideways, and a clamping screw through the bore of said jaw member and engaged to a part of one of said arms for clamping of guideway-located pins between said jaw member and said part.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 15, in which the arm part has two parallel pin-locating guideways at the same spacing as that of the jaw-member guideways.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
The device of claim 15, in which the arm part has a flat surface perpendicular to the axis of clamping-screw engagement, said flat surface being of sufficient extent radially and circumferentially of said axis to provide reacting reference for clamping two orthopedic pins at any selected angle of pin orientation about said axis of clamp-screw engagement.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-08-11 | 1990-02-10 | 1990-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-11 | 1994-02-10 | 1994-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-11 | 1998-02-10 | 1998-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |