Granted Patent B2

US 7,857,834 · App. 10/874,785 · Granted Dec 28, 2010

Abstract

Claims (62)

1. An orthopedic fixation device comprising:

a receiver including first and second legs and a first pocket defined between the legs;

a rod having a curved portion;

an anchor including a head; and

a seat structure that mounts within the receiver, the seat structure including a top seat for receiving the rod and a bottom seat for receiving the head of the anchor, the top seat including first and second legs extending from a base of the top seat, the top seat including an interior defining a second pocket between the first and second legs configured to receive the rod therethrough;

the first leg of the seat structure having first and second raised ridges and a recessed portion extending between the first raised ridge and the second raised ridge facing the interior of the top seat, the recessed portion of the first leg extending to the topmost extent of the first and second raised ridges of the first leg, each ridge including a discrete rod contact location disposed along a planar portion of the raised ridge for contacting the rod, and a rod non-contact area defined by the recessed portion of the first leg spaced from the rod;

the second leg of the seat structure having first and second raised ridges and a recessed portion extending between the first raised ridge and the second raised ridge facing the interior of the top seat, the recessed portion of the second leg extending to the topmost extent of the first and second raised ridges of the second leg, each ridge including a discrete rod contact location disposed along a planar portion of the raised ridge for contacting the rod, and a rod non-contact area defined by the recessed portion of the second leg spaced from the rod;

wherein the first raised ridge of the first leg deviates from the recessed portion of the first leg to extend toward the first raised ridge of the second leg, and the first raised ridge of the second leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the first raised ridge of the first leg, retaining a distance across the second pocket between the first raised ridge of the first leg and the first raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein the second raised ridge of the first leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the second raised ridge of the second leg, and the second raised ridge of the second leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the second raised ridge of the first leg, retaining a distance across the second pocket between the second raised ridge of the first leg and the second raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein a distance across the second pocket from the recessed portion of the first leg to the recessed portion of the second leg is greater than the distance across the second pocket between the first raised ridge of the first leg and the first raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein the distance across the second pocket from the recessed portion of the first leg to the recessed portion of the second leg is greater than the distance across the second pocket between the second raised ridge of the first leg and the second raised ridge of the second leg; and

wherein the seat structure is configured such that the rod is spaced from the base of the top seat when the rod is received in the second pocket and in contact with each of the discrete rod contact locations of the seat structure;

wherein the curved portion of the rod is disposed within the top seat such that the rod has a lateral curvature such that the rod curves toward the first leg of the receiver and curves away from the second leg of the receiver.

2. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a top and a bottom end and wherein the anchor is loaded through the bottom end of the receiver.

3. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom seat provides substantially full ring contact with the head of the anchor regardless of the orientation of the anchor relative to the receiver.

4. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 2 , wherein a ring is secured to the bottom end of the receiver to secure the head of the anchor within the receiver.

5. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 4 , wherein the ring provides substantially full ring contact with the head of the anchor regardless of the orientation of the anchor relative to the receiver.

6. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver includes a keying feature for limiting rotation of the seat structure relative to the receiver prior to the rod being secured to the device, the keying feature including an exterior-shape of the seat structure and an interior-shape of the receiver, wherein the exterior-shape of the seat structure matches the shape of the interior-shape of the receiver.

7. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 2 , wherein the seat structure is loaded through the bottom end of the receiver.

8. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism for securing the rod within the receiver.

9. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 8 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a set screw threaded into the pocket of the receiver.

10. An orthopedic fixation device comprising:

a receiver including two legs and a first pocket defined between the legs;

a rod having a curved portion;

an anchor including a head;

a seat structure that mounts within the receiver, the seat structure including a top seat for receiving the curved portion of the rod and a bottom seat for receiving the head of the anchor;

the top seat including first and second legs extending from a base of the top seat, the top seat including an interior defining a second pocket between the first and second legs configured to receive the rod therethrough;

the first leg of the seat structure having first and second raised ridges and a recessed portion extending between the first raised ridge and the second raised ridge facing the interior of the top seat, the recessed portion of the first leg extending to the topmost extent of the first and second raised ridges of the first leg, each ridge including a discrete rod contact location disposed along a planar portion of the raised ridge for contacting the rod, and a rod non-contact area defined by the recessed portion of the first leg spaced from the rod;

the second leg of the seat structure having first and second raised ridges and a recessed portion extending between the first raised ridge and the second raised ridge facing the interior of the top seat, the recessed portion of the second leg extending to the topmost extent of the first and second raised ridges of the second leg, each ridge including a discrete rod contact location disposed along a planar portion of the raised ridge for contacting the rod, and a rod non-contact area defined by the recessed portion of the second leg spaced from the rod;

wherein the first raised ridge of the first leg deviates from the recessed portion of the first leg to extend toward the first raised ridge of the second leg, and the first raised ridge of the second leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the first raised ridge of the first leg, retaining a distance across the second pocket between the first raised ridge of the first leg and the first raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein the second raised ridge of the first leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the second raised ridge of the second leg, and the second raised ridge of the second leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the second raised ridge of the first leg, retaining a distance across the second pocket between the second raised ridge of the first leg and the second raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein a distance across the second pocket from the recessed portion of the first leg to the recessed portion of the second leg is greater than the distance across the second pocket between the first raised ridge of the first leg and the first raised ridge of the second leg; and

wherein the distance across the second pocket from the recessed portion of the first leg to the recessed portion of the second leg is greater than the distance across the second pocket between the second raised ridge of the first leg and the second raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein the seat structure is configured such that the rod is spaced from the base of the top seat when the curved portion of the rod is received in the second pocket and in contact with each of the discrete rod contact locations of the seat structure, the curved portion of the rod curving laterally with a concave curvature facing the first leg and a convex curvature facing the second leg;

a ring secured to the receiver such that the head of the anchor is captured between the ring and the bottom seat of the seat structure;

the bottom seat providing substantially full ring contact with the head of the anchor throughout a range of pivotal movement of the anchor relative to the receiver; and

the ring providing substantially full ring contact with the head of the anchor throughout a range of pivotal movement of the anchor relative to the receiver.

11. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 10 , wherein the receiver includes a top and a bottom end and wherein the anchor is loaded through the bottom end of the receiver.

12. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 10 , wherein the receiver includes a keying feature for limiting rotation of the seat structure relative to the receiver, the keying feature including an exterior-shape of the seat structure and an interior-shape of the receiver, wherein the exterior-shape of the seat matches the shape of the interior-shape of the receiver.

13. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 11 , wherein the seat structure is loaded through the bottom end of the receiver.

14. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 10 , further comprising a locking mechanism for securing the rod within the receiver.

15. An orthopedic fixation device according to claim 14 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a set screw threaded into the pocket of the receiver.

16. An orthopedic fixation system comprising:

a rod including a curved section;

an anchor including a head;

a receiver including two legs and a first pocket defined between the legs;

a seat structure that mounts within the receiver, the seat structure including a top seat for receiving the curved section of the rod and a bottom seat for receiving the head of the anchor;

the top seat including first and second legs extending from a base of the top seat, the top seat including an interior defining a second pocket between the first and second legs configured to receive the rod therethrough;

the first leg of the seat structure having first and second raised ridges and a recessed portion extending between the first raised ridge and the second raised ridge facing the interior of the top seat, the recessed portion of the first leg extending to the topmost extent of the first and second raised ridges of the first leg, each ridge including a discrete rod contact location disposed along a planar portion of the raised ridge for contacting the rod, and a rod non-contact area defined by the recessed portion of the first leg spaced from the rod;

the second leg of the seat structure having first and second raised ridges and a recessed portion extending between the first raised ridge and the second raised ridge facing the interior of the top seat, the recessed portion of the second leg extending to the topmost extent of the first and second raised ridges of the second leg, each ridge including a discrete rod contact location disposed along a planar portion of the raised ridge for contacting the rod, and a rod non-contact area defined by the recessed portion of the second leg spaced from the rod;

wherein the first raised ridge of the first leg deviates from the recessed portion of the first leg to extend toward the first raised ridge of the second leg, and the first raised ridge of the second leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the first raised ridge of the first leg, retaining a distance across the second pocket between the first raised ridge of the first leg and the first raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein the second raised ridge of the first leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the second raised ridge of the second leg, and the second raised ridge of the second leg deviates from the recessed portion of the second leg to extend toward the second raised ridge of the first leg, retaining a distance across the second pocket between the second raised ridge of the first leg and the second raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein a distance across the second pocket from the recessed portion of the first leg to the recessed portion of the second leg is greater than the distance across the second pocket between the first raised ridge of the first leg and the first raised ridge of the second leg; and

wherein the distance across the second pocket from the recessed portion of the first leg to the recessed portion of the second leg is greater than the distance across the second pocket between the second raised ridge of the first leg and the second raised ridge of the second leg;

wherein the seat structure is configured such that the rod is spaced from the base of the top seat when the curved section of the rod is received in the second pocket and in contact with each of the discrete rod contact locations of the seat structure such that an edge having an inner concave radius of curvature of the curved section faces towards the first leg and contacts the first and second ridges of the first leg and an edge having an outer convex radius of curvature of the curved section faces toward the second leg and contacts the first and second ridges of the second leg;

a ring secured to the receiver such that the head of the anchor is captured between the ring and the bottom seat of the seat structure;

the bottom seat providing substantially full ring contact with the head of the anchor throughout a range of pivotal movement of the anchor relative to the receiver;

the ring providing substantially full ring contact with the head of the anchor throughout a range of pivotal movement of the anchor relative to the receiver; and

the receiver including a keying feature for limiting rotation of the seat structure relative to the receiver, the keying feature including an exterior-shape of the seat structure and an interior-shape of the receiver, wherein the exterior-shape of the seat structure matches the shape of the interior-shape of the receiver.

17. The orthopedic fixation device according to claim 1 , wherein the discrete rod contact locations are aligned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod and the seat structure.

18. The orthopedic fixation device according to claim 10 , wherein the discrete rod contact locations are aligned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod and the seat structure.

19. The orthopedic fixation system according to claim 16 , wherein the discrete rod contact locations are aligned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod and the seat structure.

Assignments (6)