Press-on link for surgical screws
A coupling assembly that is configured to couple a surgical screw to another coupling assembly and another surgical screw is disclosed. The coupling assembly comprises a body that includes a receptacle configured to receive a head portion of the surgical screw and hold the head portion through an interference fit. The body further includes either a female member, a male member, or both, the female member and the male member configured to mate with a female member and a male member of the another coupling assembly and thereby join the coupling assembly to the another coupling assembly. Embodiments of the coupling assembly provide for adjustment of the distance between the coupling assemblies, as well as misalignment of various axes of the coupling assembly relative to the surgical screw and the male member. Exemplary embodiments provide fewer parts, greater flexibility during the surgical implantation, and a smaller profile than previous coupling mechanisms.
1 . A coupling assembly comprising:
a first body, said first body including:
a receptacle configured to receive a head portion of a first surgical screw and to provide an interference fit with said head portion of said first surgical screw; and
a male member; and
a second body, said second body including:
a receptacle configured to receive a head portion of a second surgical screw and to provide an interference fit with said head portion of said second surgical screw; and
a female member, said female member configured to receive said male member and to provide an interference fit with said male member, said female member and said male member configured to couple said first body and said second body together in a fixed, immovable relationship via said interference fit;
wherein the interference fit between the male member and the female member is achievable without use of a separate fastener.
2 . The coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein said male member comprises a spherical face.
3 . The coupling assembly of claim 2 , wherein said spherical face is configured to accommodate misalignment between a first axis of said body and a long axis of said male member.
4 . The coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein said male member and said female member are configured to permit adjustment of a distance between said first body and said second body.
5 . The coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein said receptacle is configured to accommodate misalignment between a second axis of said body and a long axis of said surgical screw.
6 . A coupling assembly comprising:
a first body; and
another coupling assembly body comprising a male member;
said first body including:
a receptacle configured to receive a head portion of a surgical screw and to provide an interference fit with said head portion; and
a female member, said female member configured to receive the male member of said another coupling assembly body and to provide an interference fit with said male member, said female member and said male member configured to couple said first body and said another coupling assembly body together in a fixed, immovable relationship via said interference fit;
wherein the interference fit between the male member and the female member is achievable without use of a separate fastener.
7 . The coupling assembly of claim 6 , wherein said male member comprises a spherical face.
8 . The coupling assembly of claim 7 , wherein said spherical face is configured to accommodate misalignment between a first axis of said first body and a long axis of said male member.
9 . The coupling assembly of claim 6 , wherein said male member and said female member are configured to permit adjustment of a distance between said first body and said another coupling assembly body.
10 . The coupling assembly of claim 6 , wherein said receptacle is configured to accommodate misalignment between a second axis of said first body and a long axis of said surgical screw.
11 . A coupling assembly comprising:
a coupling rod comprising:
a long axis;
a first male member at a first end of the long axis; and
a second male member at a second end of the long axis; and
a first body including:
a receptacle configured to receive a head portion of a surgical screw and to provide an interference fit with said head portion; and
at least one female member, said female member configured to receive one of the male members of the coupling rod and to provide an interference fit with said male member, whereby said female member and said male member are coupled together in a fixed, immovable relationship via said interference fit;
wherein the interference fit between the male member and the female member is achievable without use of a separate fastener.
12 . The coupling assembly of claim 11 , wherein said male member of said coupling rod comprises a spherical face.
13 . The coupling assembly of claim 11 , wherein said receptacle comprises a split-ring assembly configured to receive said head portion of said surgical screw.
14 . The coupling assembly of claim 13 , wherein said receptacle is configured to receive said split-ring assembly and to provide an interference fit with said split-ring assembly, said split-ring assembly being separable from said receptacle.
15 . The coupling assembly of claim 14 , wherein said split-ring assembly comprises a plurality of fingers separated from one another by a slot, said fingers configured to elastically engage said head portion of said surgical screw.
16 . The coupling assembly of claim 14 , wherein said interference fit of said receptacle with said split-ring assembly holds said head portion of said surgical screw against a removal force of at least 200 pounds.
17 . The coupling assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second body including:
a receptacle configured to receive a head portion of another surgical screw and to provide an interference fit with said head portion; and
at least one female member, said female member configured to receive the other of the male members of the coupling rod and to provide an interference fit with said male member, whereby said female member and said male member are coupled together in a fixed, immovable relationship via said interference fit.
18 . The coupling assembly of claim 11 , wherein said female member and said male member are configured to accommodate misalignment between a first axis of said first body and said long axis of said coupling rod.
19 . The coupling assembly of claim 11 , wherein said male member and said female member are configured to permit adjustment of a distance between said first body and a second body.
20 . The coupling assembly of claim 11 , wherein said receptacle is configured to accommodate misalignment between a second axis of said body and a long axis of said surgical screw.