Vertebral anchoring device

1. A vertebral anchoring device comprising:

a connecting rod ( 3 );

bone-anchoring screws ( 5 ) implantable in the vertebrae ( 4 ) of a vertebral column, the bone-anchoring screws each comprising a head ( 16 ); and

connectors ( 2 ) linked to one another by the connecting rod ( 3 ) and fixed on the bone-anchoring screws ( 5 ),

each connector ( 2 ) being composed of a connection element ( 6 ) that comprises receiving and fixing parts to permit immobilization of the connecting rod ( 3 ) in translation and in rotation,

each connection element ( 6 ) further comprising, opposite the receiving and fixing parts, a seat ( 12 ) that cooperates with a connecting device ( 17 ) permitting assembly of the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ),

the connecting device ( 17 ), before immobilization of the connecting rod ( 3 ) in the connection element ( 6 ), permitting, i) lateral and independent tilting movements of the connection element ( 6 ) and of the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ) relative to each other and, ii) rotation of the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ) for fixing the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ) in the body of the vertebra ( 4 ), wherein,

the connecting device is composed of a bushing ( 17 ) that cooperates with the seat ( 12 ) of the connection element ( 6 ) and has first set of through-bores ( 15 , 19 ) which are formed respectively in the seat ( 12 ) and the bushing ( 17 ) and allow the bushing to tilt laterally about rotation pins ( 20 , 21 ), and second set of through-bores ( 22 , 25 ) which are formed respectively in the bushing ( 17 ) and the head ( 16 ) of the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ) and allow the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ) to tilt laterally about another rotation pin ( 26 ).

2. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the bushing ( 17 ) has at a center thereof, and extending in a vertical direction, an inner through-bore ( 18 ) designed to receive the head ( 16 ) of the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ).

3. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 2 , wherein,

the first set of through-bores ( 15 , 19 ) comprises i) first pair of through-bores ( 15 ) formed in the seat ( 12 ) of the connection element ( 6 ), and ii) a second pair of through-bores ( 19 ) extending in a first horizontal direction through the bushing ( 17 ), and

the first pair of through-bores ( 19 ) opens into the inner through-bore ( 18 ) of the bushing ( 17 ) and permits placement of the rotation pins ( 20 , 21 ), such that the rotation pins ( 20 , 21 ) extend into the first pair of through-bores ( 15 ) formed in the seat ( 12 ) of the connection element ( 6 ), so as to permit the first lateral tilting movement.

4. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 3 , wherein,

the receiving and fixing parts of each connection element ( 6 ) comprises upper vertical branches ( 7 , 8 ) that i) delimit a U-shaped opening ( 9 ) for receiving said connecting rod, and, ii) above a bottom ( 10 ) of the U-shaped opening ( 9 ), comprise a threaded section ( 13 ) that allows a press-screw ( 14 ) to be tightened in order to block the connecting rod ( 3 ) in translation and in rotation,

the connection element ( 6 ) further comprises, below the threaded section ( 13 ) and at a base of each vertical branch ( 7 , 8 ), an oblong opening ( 11 ) that opens into an inside of said connection element, in an area of communication between the bottom ( 10 ) of the U-shaped opening ( 9 ) and the seat ( 12 ), in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of the connecting rod ( 3 ), and

the first pair of through-bores ( 15 ) of the seat ( 12 ) of the connection element ( 6 ) are arranged in a direction that is horizontal and perpendicular to a direction of the oblong opening ( 11 ) of each vertical branch ( 7 , 8 ).

5. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 2 , wherein,

the second set of through-bores ( 22 , 25 ) comprises i) a third set of through-bores ( 22 ) extending through the bushing ( 17 ) in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and ii) a through-bore ( 25 ) formed in the head ( 16 ) of the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ), and

the third set of through-bores ( 22 ) open into the inner through-bore ( 18 ) of the bushing ( 17 ) and permits placement of the another rotation pin ( 26 ) that passes through through-bore ( 25 ) formed in the head ( 16 ) of the anchoring screw ( 5 ), so as to permit the second lateral tilting movement.

6. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 5 , wherein,

the receiving and fixing parts of each connection element ( 6 ) comprises upper vertical branches ( 7 , 8 ) delimiting a U-shaped opening ( 9 ) for receiving said connecting rod ( 3 ), said upper vertical branches ( 7 , 8 ) comprising, above a bottom ( 10 ) of the U-shaped opening ( 9 ), a threaded section ( 13 ) that allows a press-screw ( 14 ) to be tightened in order to block the connecting rod ( 3 ) in translation and in rotation,

the connection element ( 6 ) further comprises, below the threaded section ( 13 ) and at a base of each vertical branch ( 7 , 8 ), an oblong opening ( 11 ) that opens into an inside of said connection element, in an area of communication between the bottom ( 10 ) of the U-shaped opening ( 9 ) and the seat ( 12 ), in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of the connecting rod ( 3 ), and

the first pair of through-bores ( 15 ) of the seat ( 12 ) of the connection element ( 6 ) are arranged in a direction that is horizontal and perpendicular to a direction of the oblong opening ( 11 ) of each vertical branch ( 7 , 8 ).

7. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 2 , wherein,

the first set of through-bores ( 15 , 19 ) comprises i) first pair of through-bores ( 15 ) formed in the seat ( 12 ) of the connection element ( 6 ), and ii) a second pair of through-bores ( 19 ) extending in a first horizontal direction through the bushing ( 17 ),

the second set of through-bores ( 22 , 25 ) comprises i) a third set of through-bores ( 22 ) extending through the bushing ( 17 ) in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and ii) a through-bore ( 25 ) formed in the head ( 16 ) of the bone-anchoring screw ( 5 ), and

the bushing ( 17 ) comprises an upper peripheral edge ( 23 ) which has, i) a hump ( 24 ) arranged above each through-bore ( 19 ) of the second pair of through-bores ( 19 ) and, ii) ribs ( 32 ) arranged above each through-bore ( 22 ) of the third set of through-bores ( 22 ) and inside the inner through-bore ( 18 ) of the bushing ( 17 ).

8. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 7 , wherein the bushing ( 17 ) is joined to a ring ( 27 ) which, at a center of the ring ( 27 ), has a hole ( 28 ) extending in a vertical direction, and, on an outer circumference of the ring ( 27 ), has recesses ( 30 ) cooperating with the ribs ( 32 ) of said bushing ( 17 ).

9. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 1 , wherein,

the receiving and fixing parts of each connection element ( 6 ) comprises upper vertical branches ( 7 , 8 ) that delimit a U-shaped opening ( 9 ) for receiving said connecting rod,

said upper vertical branches ( 7 , 8 ) comprising, above a bottom ( 10 ) of the U-shaped opening ( 9 ), a threaded section ( 13 ) that allows a press-screw ( 14 ) to be tightened in order to block the connecting rod ( 3 ) in translation and in rotation.

10. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 9 , wherein,

the connection element ( 6 ) comprises, below the threaded section ( 13 ) and at a base of each vertical branch ( 7 , 8 ), an opening ( 11 ) that opens into an inside of said connection element, in an area of communication between the bottom ( 10 ) of the U-shaped opening ( 9 ) and the seat ( 12 ), in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of the connecting rod ( 3 ).

11. The vertebral anchoring device according to claim 10 , wherein each of the openings ( 11 ), that open into the inside of said connection element, are arranged opposite each other and has an oblong vertical profile.