Granted Patent B1

US 12,343,055 · App. 18/910,337 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Inventors: Mark Darryl Antonacci (Skillman, NJ); Matthew L. Cavuto (London, GB); Anthony C. Antonacci (Ridgefield, CT)

A61B17/846

Abstract

Claims (100)

1. An anchor device for insertion into a bone, comprising

a post suitable for implantation into a bone, and

a cord housing coupled to the post, comprising

a lower housing comprising a cradle for receiving therein at least one cord; and

an upper housing comprising a clamp for placement over the at least one cord inserted into the cradle;

wherein the joining of the upper housing to the lower housing forms a cord channel by the cradle and the clamp, to encase the at least one cord placed into the cradle; and

means for fastening the upper housing to the lower housing and securing the at least one cord within the cord channel;

wherein

the cradle comprises a first end portion where the cord enters the cord channel, a middle portion, and a second end portion where the cord exits the cord channel, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion each comprise an outwardly flared surface along an axis defined by the cord encased within and running along the cord channel; and

the clamp comprises a first end portion where the cord enters the cord channel, a middle portion, and a second end portion where the cord exits the cord channel, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion each comprise an outwardly flared surface along an axis defined by the cord encased within and running along the cord channel;

whereby the outwardly flared surfaces enable the cord to bend and flex where the cord enters and exits the channel without fraying.

2. The anchor device of claim 1 wherein

the lower housing further comprises a lower housing major surface; and

the upper housing further comprises an upper housing major surface;

wherein the upper housing major surface substantially abuts the lower housing major surface when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing and provides a stop to prevent overtightening of the upper housing to the lower housing.

3. The anchor device of claim 2 wherein the lower housing major surface is flat and the upper housing major surface is flat.

4. The anchor device of claim 2 wherein

the lower housing further comprises a lower housing minor surface; and

the upper housing further comprises an upper housing minor surface;

wherein the upper housing minor surface substantially abuts the lower housing minor surface when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing and provides a stop to prevent overtightening of the upper housing to the lower housing.

5. The anchor device of claim 4 wherein the lower housing minor surface is flat and the upper housing minor surface is flat.

6. The anchor device of claim 4 wherein the cord channel is formed by adjoining the upper housing major surface to the lower housing major surface, the upper housing minor surface to the lower housing minor surface, and the clamp over the cradle.

7. The anchor device of claim 6 wherein the at least one cord encased within the cord channel is partially compressed by the adjoining of the clamp to the cradle.

8. The anchor device of claim 7 wherein the adjoining of the upper housing major surface to the lower housing major surface and the upper housing minor surface to the lower housing minor surface provides a limit to the compression of the at least one cord by the clamp over the cradle.

9. The anchor device of claim 1 wherein

the means for fastening comprises a threaded fastener;

the lower housing further comprises a receiving cylindrical portion comprising threads suitable for receiving the threaded fastener; and

the upper housing further comprises an aperture for receiving therethrough the threaded fastener.

10. The anchor device of claim 9 wherein

the threaded fastener is a screw comprising a head, and

the aperture in the upper housing is countersunk to allow the head of the screw to be substantially flush with the upper housing.

11. The anchor device of claim 10 wherein the screw is captively associated with the upper housing.

12. The anchor device of claim 1 wherein the cord housing is fixedly coupled to the post.

13. An anchor device for insertion into a bone, comprising

a post suitable for implantation into a bone, and

a cord housing coupled to the post, comprising

a lower housing comprising a cradle for receiving therein at least one cord; and

an upper housing comprising a clamp for placement over the at least one cord inserted into the cradle;

wherein the joining of the upper housing to the lower housing forms a cord channel by the cradle and the clamp, to encase the at least one cord placed into the cradle; and

means for fastening the upper housing to the lower housing and securing the at least one cord within the cord channel;

wherein the cradle comprises a non-smooth surface suitable for gripping the at least one cord when inserted therewithin, wherein the non-smooth surface of the cradle comprises a plurality of ribs extending substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the cord is placed within the cradle,

wherein the clamp comprises a non-smooth surface suitable for gripping the at least one cord when inserted therewithin, wherein the non-smooth surface of the clamp comprises a plurality of ribs extending substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the cord is placed within the cradle,

whereby a locally compressive force is imparted on the cord so that the cord is held securely in place when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing around the cord and the cord is prevented from being pulled in either direction in the event there are stresses on the cord imparted during normal use.

14. The anchor device of claim 13 wherein

the lower housing further comprises a lower housing major surface; and

the upper housing further comprises an upper housing major surface;

wherein the upper housing major surface substantially abuts the lower housing major surface when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing and provides a stop to prevent overtightening of the upper housing to the lower housing.

15. The anchor device of claim 14 wherein the lower housing major surface is flat and the upper housing major surface is flat.

16. The anchor device of claim 14 wherein

the lower housing further comprises a lower housing minor surface; and

the upper housing further comprises an upper housing minor surface;

wherein the upper housing minor surface substantially abuts the lower housing minor surface when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing and provides a stop to prevent overtightening of the upper housing to the lower housing.

17. The anchor device of claim 16 wherein the lower housing minor surface is flat and the upper housing minor surface is flat.

18. The anchor device of claim 16 wherein the cord channel is formed by adjoining the upper housing major surface to the lower housing major surface, the upper housing minor surface to the lower housing minor surface, and the clamp over the cradle.

19. The anchor device of claim 18 wherein the at least one cord encased within the cord channel is partially compressed by the adjoining of the clamp to the cradle.

20. The anchor device of claim 19 wherein the adjoining of the upper housing major surface to the lower housing major surface and the upper housing minor surface to the lower housing minor surface provides a limit to the compression of the at least one cord by the clamp over the cradle.

21. The anchor device of claim 13 wherein

the means for fastening comprises a threaded fastener;

the lower housing further comprises a receiving cylindrical portion comprising threads suitable for receiving the threaded fastener; and

the upper housing further comprises an aperture for receiving therethrough the threaded fastener.

22. The anchor device of claim 21 wherein

the threaded fastener is a screw comprising a head, and

the aperture in the upper housing is countersunk to allow the head of the screw to be substantially flush with the upper housing.

23. The anchor device of claim 22 wherein the screw is captively associated with the upper housing.

24. The anchor device of claim 13 wherein the cord housing is fixedly coupled to the post.

25. An anchor device for insertion into a bone, comprising

a post suitable for implantation into a bone, and

a cord housing coupled to the post, comprising

a lower housing comprising a cradle for receiving therein at least one cord; and

an upper housing comprising a clamp for placement over the at least one cord inserted into the cradle;

wherein the joining of the upper housing to the lower housing forms a cord channel by the cradle and the clamp, to encase the at least one cord placed into the cradle; and

means for fastening the upper housing to the lower housing and securing the at least one cord within the cord channel

wherein

the cradle is partially cylindrical and adapted to receive a single cord;

the clamp is partially cylindrical and adapted for placement over the single cord inserted into the cradle; and

the cord channel formed by clamp and the cradle when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing is substantially cylindrical to encase a single cord placed into the cradle;

wherein the cradle provides a cross-sectional profile of greater than half of the cylinder and extends more than halfway around the cord, and the clamp provides a cross-sectional profile of less than half of the cylinder and extends less than halfway around the cord when placed over it;

whereby the cord is press fit into the cradle with a small amount of force so the cord temporarily compresses to fit within the cradle and is held in place temporarily by the cradle until the upper housing is located in place with the clamp over the cradle and secures it with the means for fastening.

26. The anchor device of claim 25 wherein

the lower housing further comprises a lower housing major surface; and

the upper housing further comprises an upper housing major surface;

wherein the upper housing major surface substantially abuts the lower housing major surface when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing and provides a stop to prevent overtightening of the upper housing to the lower housing.

27. The anchor device of claim 26 wherein the lower housing major surface is flat and the upper housing major surface is flat.

28. The anchor device of claim 26 wherein

the lower housing further comprises a lower housing minor surface; and

the upper housing further comprises an upper housing minor surface;

wherein the upper housing minor surface substantially abuts the lower housing minor surface when the upper housing is joined to the lower housing and provides a stop to prevent overtightening of the upper housing to the lower housing.

29. The anchor device of claim 28 wherein the lower housing minor surface is flat and the upper housing minor surface is flat.

30. The anchor device of claim 28 wherein the cord channel is formed by adjoining the upper housing major surface to the lower housing major surface, the upper housing minor surface to the lower housing minor surface, and the clamp over the cradle.

31. The anchor device of claim 30 wherein the at least one cord encased within the cord channel is partially compressed by the adjoining of the clamp to the cradle.

32. The anchor device of claim 31 wherein the adjoining of the upper housing major surface to the lower housing major surface and the upper housing minor surface to the lower housing minor surface provides a limit to the compression of the at least one cord by the clamp over the cradle.

33. The anchor device of claim 25 wherein

the means for fastening comprises a threaded fastener;

the lower housing further comprises a receiving cylindrical portion comprising threads suitable for receiving the threaded fastener; and

the upper housing further comprises an aperture for receiving therethrough the threaded fastener.

34. The anchor device of claim 33 wherein

the threaded fastener is a screw comprising a head, and

the aperture in the upper housing is countersunk to allow the head of the screw to be substantially flush with the upper housing.

35. The anchor device of claim 34 wherein the screw is captively associated with the upper housing.

36. The anchor device of claim 25 wherein the cord housing is fixedly coupled to the post.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (25)

Cited By (4)

US 12,496,112 US 12,539,154 US 12,667,399 US 12,690,893