Modular tulip unlocker

1 . A modular tulip unlocker designed to unlock a modular tulip assembly comprising:

tulip engagement clips having a distal end configured to attach to a modular tulip body;

a proximal knob with a rotating knob shaft, wherein rotation of the proximal knob translates the rotating knob shaft down or up;

a distal shuttle threadably engaged to the rotating knob shaft, the distal shuttle is configured to engage the modular tulip assembly and translation of the rotating knob shaft actuates the distal shuttle;

an actuation lever connected to an internal shaft configured to couple with the modular tulip bushing for upward translation of the modular tulip bushing; and

a spring-loaded latch configured to hold the actuation lever in place after a complete pull.

2 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 1 , wherein the distal shuttle includes pivoting shuttle members with distal push feet, the pivoting shuttle members having opposing ramps configured to slidingly engage the rotating knob shaft.

3 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 2 , wherein actuating the distal shuttle includes rotating the proximal knob in a first direction to translate the rotating knob shaft distally to slidingly engage the opposing ramps and rotate the pivoting members and distal push feet away each other from a closed position to an open position.

4 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 3 , wherein rotating the distal push feet away each other includes extending the distal push feet through lateral openings of the modular tulip bushing to compress flexible wires or spring pins to unlock the modular tulip bushing from the modular tulip body.

5 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 4 , wherein rotating the proximal knob in a second direction translates the rotating knob shaft proximally to slidingly disengage the opposing ramps and rotate the pivoting members and distal push feet toward each other from the open position to the closed position.

6 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 5 , wherein rotating the distal push feet towards each other includes withdrawal of the distal feet from the lateral openings of the modular tulip bushing to disengage the modular tulip bushing from the modular tulip shuttle.

7 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 5 , wherein the rotating knob shaft includes a visual mark to indicate that the pivoting shuttle members are disengaged from the modular tulip bushing.

8 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 1 , wherein the actuation lever is coupled to the internal shaft via a linkage which converts the pull action of the actuation lever to a linear translation of the internal shaft.

9 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 1 , wherein a pull action of the actuation lever translates the internal shaft proximally to apply an upward force to lift the modular tulip bushing upward in the modular tulip body.

10 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 9 , further comprising a force limiting spring positioned within an inline coupling attached to the internal shaft designed to limit the amount of upward force applied to the modular tulip bushing.

11 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 1 , further comprising a lever return spring coupled to the internal shaft configured to:

compress when the actuation lever is pulled, and

expand when the actuation lever is released to return the actuation lever to the starting position.

12 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 1 , wherein the tulip engagement clips are spring-loaded clips configured to separate when inserted on the modular tulip body until the distal end is coupled to the modular tulip body to lock the modular tulip assembly on the distal end of the modular tulip unlocker.

13 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 12 , wherein pressing inward on a proximal end of the tulip engagement clips disengage the tulip engagement clips from the modular tulip body.

14 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 1 , further comprising a handle on the proximal end configured to provides a controlled action of unlocking the modular tulip assembly.

15 . A modular tulip unlocker designed to unlock a modular tulip assembly comprising:

tulip engagement clips having a distal end configured to attach to a modular tulip body;

a proximal knob with a rotating knob shaft, wherein rotation of the proximal knob translates the rotating knob shaft down or up;

a distal shuttle having pivoting shuttle members with distal push feet, the pivoting shuttle members having opposing ramps configured to slidingly engage the rotating knob shaft, the distal shuttle is configured to engage the modular tulip assembly and translation of the rotating knob shaft actuates the pivoting shuttle members with distal push feet;

an actuation lever connected to an internal shaft configured to couple with the modular tulip bushing for upward translation and apply an upward force to lift the modular tulip bushing upward in the modular tulip body; and

a lever return spring coupled to the internal shaft configured to:

compress when the actuation lever is pulled, and

expand when the actuation lever is released to return the actuation lever to the starting position.

16 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 15 , wherein actuates the pivoting shuttle members with distal push feet includes rotating the proximal knob in a first direction to translate the rotating knob shaft distally and slidingly engage the opposing ramps to push the pivoting members and distal push feet away each other and through lateral openings of the modular tulip bushing to compress flexible wires or spring pins to unlock the modular tulip bushing from the modular tulip body.

17 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 16 , wherein rotating the proximal knob in a second direction translates the rotating knob shaft proximally to slidingly disengage the opposing ramps and rotate the pivoting members and distal push feet toward each other and withdraw from the lateral openings of the modular tulip bushing to disengage the modular tulip bushing from the modular tulip shuttle.

18 . The modular tulip unlocker of claim 16 , further comprising a force limiting spring positioned within an inline coupling attached to the internal shaft designed to limit the amount of upward force applied to the modular tulip bushing.

19 . A modular tulip unlocker designed to unlock a modular tulip assembly comprising:

tulip engagement spring-loaded clips configured to separate when inserted on a modular tulip body until the distal end is coupled to the modular tulip body to lock the modular tulip assembly on the distal end of the modular tulip unlocker;

a proximal knob with a rotating knob shaft, wherein rotation of the proximal knob translates the rotating knob shaft distally or proximally;

a distal shuttle configured to engage the modular tulip assembly having pivoting shuttle members with distal push feet, the pivoting shuttle members having opposing ramps configured to slidingly engage the rotating knob shaft rotating distally to slidingly engage the opposing ramps to push the pivoting members and distal push feet away each other and through lateral openings of the modular tulip bushing to compress flexible wires or spring pins to unlock the modular tulip bushing from the modular tulip body;

an actuation lever connected to an internal shaft configured to couple with the modular tulip bushing for upward translation and apply an upward force to lift the modular tulip bushing upward in the modular tulip body,

a force limiting spring positioned within an inline coupling attached to the internal shaft designed to limit the amount of upward force applied to the modular tulip bushing; and

a lever return spring coupled to the internal shaft configured to:

compress when the actuation lever is pulled, and

expand when the actuation lever is released to return the actuation lever to the starting position.