Multi-angular fastening apparatus and method for surgical bone screw/plate systems
First Claim
1. A surgical plate adapted for fixation with a bone screw, comprising first and second opposing major surfaces, an inside surface extending between the first and second major surfaces and defining an aperture generally coaxially disposed about an aperture axis, and a non-threaded tappable contact region disposed on the inside surface, wherein the tappable contact region has a minimum inside diameter large enough to permit a bone screw to pass therethrough at an insertion angle defined between a longitudinal axis of the fastener and the aperture axis, and the tappable contact region is adapted for being tapped by an external thread of the bone screw to affix the bone screw to the tappable contact region at the insertion angle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fastening apparatus includes a fastener and a fastener receiving member. The apparatus enables the fastener to be affixed to the fastener receiving member at a variable insertion angle selected by the user. The fastener includes an elongate section and an adjoining head section. Both the elongate section and the head section are threaded. The fastener receiving member includes one or more apertures through which one or more corresponding fasteners can be inserted. Each aperture includes a contact region formed or disposed on an inside surface defining the aperture. The contact region includes a porous matrix of protrusions or fiber metal having a density and strength sufficient to render contact region tappable by the thread of the head section of the fastener. The thread on the head section is driven into the contact region at the selected insertion angle. As a result, the thread of the head section taps into the material of the contact region such that the fastener is affixed to the fastener receiving member and maintained at the insertion angle.
314 Citations
46 Claims
- 1. A surgical plate adapted for fixation with a bone screw, comprising first and second opposing major surfaces, an inside surface extending between the first and second major surfaces and defining an aperture generally coaxially disposed about an aperture axis, and a non-threaded tappable contact region disposed on the inside surface, wherein the tappable contact region has a minimum inside diameter large enough to permit a bone screw to pass therethrough at an insertion angle defined between a longitudinal axis of the fastener and the aperture axis, and the tappable contact region is adapted for being tapped by an external thread of the bone screw to affix the bone screw to the tappable contact region at the insertion angle.
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21. A fastening apparatus adapted for multi-angular insertion, comprising:
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(a) a fastener comprising an elongate section and an adjoining head section disposed along a fastener axis, the head section comprising a thread; and
(b) a fastener receiving member comprising first and second opposing major surfaces, an inside surface extending between the first and second major surfaces and defining an aperture generally coaxially disposed about an aperture axis, and a tappable contact region disposed on the inside surface, wherein the tappable contact region has a minimum inside diameter large enough to permit the elongate section to pass therethrough at an insertion angle defined between the fastener axis and the aperture axis, and the tappable contact region is adapted for being tapped by the thread of the head section to affix the head section to the tappable contact region at the insertion angle. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for affixing a fastener to a fastener receiving member at a desired orientation, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a fastener comprising an elongate section and an adjoining head section disposed along a fastener axis, the head section comprising a thread;
(b) providing a fastener receiving member comprising first and second opposing major surfaces, an inside surface extending between the first and second major surfaces and defining an aperture generally coaxially disposed about an aperture axis, and a tappable contact region disposed on the inside surface;
(c) selecting an insertion angle at which the fastener is to be inserted in relation to the fastener receiving member, wherein the insertion angle is defined between the fastener axis and the aperture axis;
(d) inserting the elongate section through the aperture until the thread of the head section contacts the tappable contact region; and
(e) tapping the fastener into the receiving member such that the fastener is oriented at the selected insertion angle by threading the thread of the head section into the tappable contact region while the fastener is oriented at the selected insertion angle. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification