US6283973B1 — Strength fixation device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 104 words

A screw comprising a screw body having a tip portion formed to include a front face, an end portion formed to include a rear face, a threaded portion adjacent to and positioned to lie between the tip portion and the end portion, the threaded portion comprising a thread formed to include alternating crests and troughs, wherein the crests are rounded, and a passageway extending from the front face of the tip portion to the rear face of the end portion, the passageway being formed by drive faces extending from the front face of the tip portion to the rear face of the end portion.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 104 words

A screw comprising a screw body having a tip portion formed to include a front face, an end portion formed to include a rear face, a threaded portion adjacent to and positioned to lie between the tip portion and the end portion, the threaded portion comprising a thread formed to include alternating crests and troughs, wherein the crests are rounded, and a passageway extending from the front face of the tip portion to the rear face of the end portion, the passageway being formed by drive faces extending from the front face of the tip portion to the rear face of the end portion.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The screw of claim 1 wherein the screw body is comprised of a bioabsorbable material.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

The screw of claim 1 wherein the passageway has a polygonal cross-section and the polygonal cross-section is constant from the front face of the tip portion to the rear face of the end portion.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 11 words

The screw of claim 3 wherein the polygonal cross-section is square.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 50 words

The screw of claim 1 wherein the tip portion further includes a frustoconically shaped outer wall and having a first end adjacent to the front face and a second end adjacent to the threaded portion, wherein the first end has a diameter less than a diameter of the second end.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 40 words

The screw of claim 1 wherein the thread forms thread segments and each thread segment is formed to include one crest and the troughs are formed between each crest. 7 .The screw of claim 1 wherein the troughs are rounded.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The screw of claim 1 , wherein the front face includes a front opening of the passageway having a width W and a length L and the rear face includes a rear opening of the passageway having a width W′ equal to width W of the front opening and a length L′ equal to length L of the front opening.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 51 words

The screw of claim 1 , wherein the end portion further includes an outer cylindrical wall having a first end adjacent to the threaded portion, a second end adjacent to the rear face, and rear edges having a rounded shape and being formed by the second end and the rear face.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 19 words

The screw of claim 1 wherein the tip portion includes a tapered first end adjacent to the front face.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 162 words

A screw and driver combination, the driver comprising a screw-receiving portion and a handle portion positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the screw-receiver, the screw-receiving portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending driving surfaces, and the screw comprising a screw body having a tip portion formed to include a front face, an end portion formed to include a rear face, a threaded portion formed to extend between the tip portion and the end portion and including a thread having rounded crests, and a plurality of drive faces formed to define a passageway such that the drive faces and passageway extend through an entire length of the screw body from the front face of the tip portion to the rear face of the end portion, the passageway of the screw formed to receive the screw-receiving portion therein so that the drive faces of the screw body conformingly engage the driving surfaces of the driver throughout the entire length of the screw body.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 162 words

A screw and driver combination, the driver comprising a screw-receiving portion and a handle portion positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the screw-receiver, the screw-receiving portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending driving surfaces, and the screw comprising a screw body having a tip portion formed to include a front face, an end portion formed to include a rear face, a threaded portion formed to extend between the tip portion and the end portion and including a thread having rounded crests, and a plurality of drive faces formed to define a passageway such that the drive faces and passageway extend through an entire length of the screw body from the front face of the tip portion to the rear face of the end portion, the passageway of the screw formed to receive the screw-receiving portion therein so that the drive faces of the screw body conformingly engage the driving surfaces of the driver throughout the entire length of the screw body.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 85 words

The screw and driver combination of claim 11 wherein the driver further comprises a shaft extending between the screw-receiving portion and the handle, a ridge is provided between the shaft and the screw-receiving portion, and the screw-receiving portion is provided with a tip, whereby when the screw-receiving portion is received within the passageway of the screw body, the rear face of the screw body abuts the ridge of the driver and the tip of the driver extends beyond the front face of the screw body.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 18 words

The screw and driver combination of claim 12 , wherein the tip of the screw-receiving portion is tapered.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The screw and driver combination of claim 12 , wherein the driver further includes a cannula extending from the tip to the handle.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

The screw and driver combination of claim 11 , wherein the screw-receiving portion includes four driving surfaces defining a square cross-section and a cross-section of the passageway is a corresponding square.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

The screw and driver combination of claim 11 wherein the screw is comprised of a biodegradable material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 83 words

A bioabsorbable screw comprising a screw body including a tip portion having a front face, an end portion having a rear face and being positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the tip portion, a threaded portion having a rounded thread extending between the tip portion and the end portion, and a passageway extending the length of the screw body from the front face to the rear face and having a square-shaped cross-section which remains uniform along the length of the screw body.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 83 words

A bioabsorbable screw comprising a screw body including a tip portion having a front face, an end portion having a rear face and being positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the tip portion, a threaded portion having a rounded thread extending between the tip portion and the end portion, and a passageway extending the length of the screw body from the front face to the rear face and having a square-shaped cross-section which remains uniform along the length of the screw body.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 35 words

The bioabsorbable screw of claim 17 wherein the threaded portion is formed to include a single thread having multiple thread segments and forming crests and troughs, wherein each crest and trough is rounded in shape.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 95 words

A method of fixing a tissue graft within a bone tunnel comprising the steps of: preparing the bone tunnel to receive the graft, inserting the tissue graft into the bone tunnel, providing a screw having a thread, the thread including rounded crests, and having an axial passageway, the passageway including a plurality of longitudinally extending drive faces extending the entire length of the screw from the front face to the rear face, and driving the screw into the bone tunnel by applying a driving force along the entire length of each of the drive faces.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 95 words

A method of fixing a tissue graft within a bone tunnel comprising the steps of: preparing the bone tunnel to receive the graft, inserting the tissue graft into the bone tunnel, providing a screw having a thread, the thread including rounded crests, and having an axial passageway, the passageway including a plurality of longitudinally extending drive faces extending the entire length of the screw from the front face to the rear face, and driving the screw into the bone tunnel by applying a driving force along the entire length of each of the drive faces.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the passageway has a polygonal cross-section extending along the length of the screw.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the polygonal cross-section is square, defining four drive faces.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the screw is comprised of bioabsorbable material.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 19 wherein the driving step includes using a driver having a driving portion formed to be received within the passageway and to engage each of the drive faces along the entire length of the screw.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 23 wherein the driving portion has a plurality of driving surfaces for engaging the drive faces in a face-to-face relationship.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-09-03	2005-03-05	2005-09-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-09-03	2009-03-05	2009-09-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-09-03	2013-03-05	2013-09-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Strength fixation device

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