IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,611,233
Granted Patent B2
US 12,611,233 · App. 18/420,471 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Bone anchor housing limiter

Inventors: Terry Ziemek (Broomfield, CO); David W. Castleman (Minneapolis, MN)
Assignee: Highridge Medical, LLC
A61B17/7032A61B17/7035A61B17/7037A61B17/8605A61B17/863A61B17/8635A61B17/8685A61B17/8695A61B2017/564A61B2017/8655A61B2017/867A61B2090/061
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,611,233
App. No.
18/420,471
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bone anchor system can comprise a fastener, a rod housing and a first directional component configured for connection to the fastener. The fastener can comprise a shaft having a shaft diameter, an anchoring projection on the shaft, and a head at an end of the shaft. The rod housing can be connected to the head of the fastener. The first directional component can comprise a first body portion having a first outer diameter larger than the shaft diameter, a first bore extending through the first body portion, the first bore sized to receive the shaft diameter, and a first locking component extending from the first body portion configured to engage the rod housing to limit movement of the housing.

Claims (46)

1 . A sleeve of a bone anchor system, the sleeve comprising:

a sleeve portion;

a cup portion extending proximally from the sleeve portion, wherein the cup portion has a greater exterior diameter than the sleeve portion, and wherein the cup portion defines an unthreaded cavity that is operable to receive at least a portion of a housing of the bone anchor system; and

a bore extending through the sleeve portion and the cup portion, wherein the bore is sized to receive a shaft of a fastener of the bone anchor system;

wherein at least a portion of the bore of the sleeve includes threading that is complementary to exterior threading on the shaft of the fastener.

2 . The sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the exterior threading on the shaft of the fastener is configured to engage the complementary threading in the at least a portion of the bore of the sleeve when the shaft of the fastener is inserted into the sleeve.

3 . The sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the cup portion comprises:

a bowl portion including a surface of the unthreaded cavity defined by the cup portion, wherein the surface is able to engage a corresponding distal surface of a housing to inhibit pivoting of the housing relative to the fastener.

4 . The sleeve of claim 3 , wherein the surface of the bowl portion and the corresponding distal surface of the housing are each substantially flat.

5 . The sleeve of claim 3 , wherein the cup portion comprises:

a rim projecting from the bowl portion, wherein the housing is operable to engage the rim when the at least a portion of the housing is positioned within the cup portion.

6 . The sleeve of claim 5 , wherein the bowl portion is axi-symmetric.

7 . The sleeve of claim 5 , wherein the rim extends 360° around the bowl portion.

8 . The sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve portion includes exterior threading, and wherein the cup portion has an exterior surface that is unthreaded.

9 . The sleeve of claim 8 , wherein the exterior threading of the sleeve portion has a different pitch from the exterior threading of the shaft of the fastener.

10 . A sleeve of a bone anchor system, the sleeve comprising:

a sleeve portion;

a cup portion extending proximally from the sleeve portion, wherein the cup portion has a greater exterior diameter than the sleeve portion, and wherein the cup portion defines an unthreaded cavity that is operable to receive at least a portion of a housing of the bone anchor system; and

a bore extending through the sleeve portion and the cup portion, wherein the bore is sized to receive a shaft of a fastener of the bone anchor system; and

wherein the sleeve portion includes exterior threading, and wherein the cup portion has an exterior surface that is unthreaded.

11 . The sleeve of claim 10 , wherein the exterior threading of the sleeve portion has a different pitch from the exterior threading of the shaft of the fastener.

12 . A bone anchor system, comprising:

a fastener including a shaft with exterior threading and a head;

a housing connected to the head of the fastener; and

a sleeve able to receive at least the shaft of the fastener, the sleeve comprising:

a sleeve portion;

a cup portion extending from the sleeve portion, the cup portion being more proximal to the housing than the sleeve portion, wherein the cup portion is operable to receive at least a portion of the housing such that the housing is positionable within a cavity defined by non-threaded interior sidewalls of the cup portion; and

a bore extending through the sleeve portion and the cup portion, wherein the bore is sized to receive the shaft of the fastener.

13 . The bone anchor system of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the bore of the sleeve includes threading that is complementary to the exterior threading on the shaft of the fastener, and wherein the exterior threading on the shaft of the fastener is configured to engage the complementary threading in the at least a portion of the bore of the sleeve when the shaft of the fastener is inserted into the sleeve.

14 . The bone anchor system of claim 12 , wherein the cup portion comprises:

a bowl portion including a surface formed from the non-threaded interior sidewalls of the defined cavity, wherein the surface is able to engage a corresponding distal surface of the housing to inhibit pivoting of the housing relative to the fastener.

15 . The bone anchor system of claim 14 , wherein the surface of the bowl portion and the corresponding distal surface of the housing are each substantially flat.

16 . The bone anchor system of claim 14 , wherein the cup portion comprises:

a rim projecting from the bowl portion, wherein the housing is operable to engage the rim when the at least a portion of the housing is positioned within the cavity defined by the cup portion.

17 . The bone anchor system of claim 16 , wherein the bowl portion is axi-symmetric.

18 . The bone anchor system of claim 16 , wherein the rim extends 360° around the bowl portion.

19 . The bone anchor system of claim 12 , wherein the sleeve portion includes exterior threading, and wherein the cup portion has an exterior surface that is unthreaded.

20 . The bone anchor system of claim 19 , wherein the exterior threading of the sleeve portion has a different pitch from the exterior threading of the shaft of the fastener.

21 . A bone anchor system, comprising:

a fastener;

a housing connected to the fastener, the housing having exterior sidewalls defining a first exterior width for the housing; and

a sleeve able to receive the fastener, the sleeve comprising:

a sleeve portion configured to be threadedly engaged with at least a portion of the fastener;

a cup portion comprising a bowl portion extending proximally from the sleeve portion, wherein the bowl portion has an exterior rim that defines a second exterior width for the bowl portion that is greater than the first exterior width for the housing, wherein the bowl portion includes an interior surface that is able to engage a corresponding distal surface of the exterior sidewalls of the housing to inhibit pivoting of the housing relative to the fastener; and

a bore extending through the sleeve portion and the bowl portion, wherein the bore is sized to receive the fastener.

22 . The bone anchor system of claim 21 , wherein the housing is operable to engage the rim when the at least a portion of the housing is positioned within the cup portion.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 8, 2025
From: ZIMMER BIOMET SPINE, INC.
To: HIGHRIDGE MEDICAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 073058/0964 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 19, 2025
From: ZIMMER BIOMET SPINE, INC.
To: HIGHRIDGE MEDICAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 072956/0064 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2024
From: ZIEMEK, TERRY; CASTLEMAN, DAVID W.
To: ZIMMER BIOMET SPINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 067512/0957 →
Continuity (5)
Division 17062184 · Oct 2, 2020
Division 15663188 · Jul 28, 2017
Provisional Application 62368345 · Jul 29, 2016
Provisional Application 62482136 · Apr 5, 2017
Related Publication 20240268866A1 · Aug 15, 2024
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