IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,745,998
Granted Patent B2
US 12,745,998 · App. 18/327,152 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Anchor apparatus

Inventors: J. Dean Cole (Orlando, FL); Franz W. Kellar (Gastonia, NC); Michael D. Bissette (Belmont, NC); Harold L. Crowder (Concord, NC)
Assignee: SPECTRAL-FLUSH ANCHOR SYSTEMS LLC
A61B17/0401A61B17/683A61B17/7216A61B17/82A61B17/8861A61B17/8869A61F2/0805A61F2/0811A61B2017/00862A61B2017/0404A61B2017/0409A61B2017/0411A61B2017/0412A61B2017/0414A61B2017/044A61B2017/0454A61B2017/0496A61B2017/681A61B17/7266A61F2002/0817A61F2002/0852A61F2002/0876A61F2250/0007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,745,998
App. No.
18/327,152
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An anchor for anchoring tensile members to bone includes: a housing extending along a central axis, with a hollow interior; a collet in the hollow interior having a central bore for accepting tensile members and an exterior surface, the collet being configured to swage around and against tensile members; a sleeve having a peripheral wall defining interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve disposed in the housing's hollow interior axially adjacent to the collet, and movable parallel to the central axis between first and second positions; and wherein at least one of the collet exterior surface and the sleeve interior surface is tapered and the sleeve and the collet are arranged so movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position causes the sleeve interior surface to bear against the collet exterior surface, causing the collet to swage radially inwards around and against one or more tensile members.

Claims (15)

1 . An anchor for anchoring one or more tensile members to bone, comprising:

a housing extending along a central axis between open first and second ends, and having a hollow interior;

a collet disposed in the hollow interior of the housing, the collet having a peripheral wall defining a central bore for accepting one or more tensile members therethrough and an exterior surface, wherein the collet is configured to be swaged around and against the one or more tensile members, wherein the collet includes an array of longitudinal grooves having a U-shape formed in an outer surface of the peripheral wall, each groove defining a neck configured to collapse inward and protrude into the central bore;

a sleeve having a peripheral wall defining opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve disposed in the hollow interior of the housing and positioned generally axially adjacent to the collet, so as to be movable parallel to the central axis between first and second positions; and

wherein at least one of the exterior surface of the collet and the interior surface of the sleeve is tapered and the sleeve and the collet are arranged such that movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position will cause the interior surface of the sleeve to bear against the exterior surface of the collet, causing the collet to swage radially inwards around and against the one or more tensile members.

2 . An anchor for anchoring one or more tensile members to bone, comprising:

a housing extending along a central axis between open first and second ends, and having a hollow interior;

a collet disposed in the hollow interior of the housing, the collet having a peripheral wall defining a central bore for accepting one or more tensile members therethrough and an exterior surface, wherein the collet is configured to be swaged around and against the one or more tensile members, wherein the collet includes an array of longitudinal grooves formed in an outer surface of the peripheral wall, each groove defining a web configured to collapse inward in response to external compressive force;

a sleeve having a peripheral wall defining opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve disposed in the hollow interior of the housing and positioned generally axially adjacent to the collet, so as to be movable parallel to the central axis between first and second positions; and

wherein at least one of the exterior surface of the collet and the interior surface of the sleeve is tapered and the sleeve and the collet are arranged such that movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position will cause the interior surface of the sleeve to bear against the exterior surface of the collet, causing the collet to swage radially inwards around and against the one or more tensile members.

3 . An anchor for anchoring one or more tensile members to bone, comprising:

a housing extending along a central axis between open first and second ends, and having a hollow interior;

a collet disposed in the hollow interior of the housing, the collet having a peripheral wall defining a central bore for accepting one or more tensile members therethrough and an exterior surface, wherein the collet is configured to be swaged around and against the one or more tensile members, the collet further comprising a surface texture configured to enhance grip on a tensile member formed in the central bore;

a sleeve having a peripheral wall defining opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve disposed in the hollow interior of the housing and positioned generally axially adjacent to the collet, so as to be movable parallel to the central axis between first and second positions; and

wherein at least one of the exterior surface of the collet and the interior surface of the sleeve is tapered and the sleeve and the collet are arranged such that movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position will cause the interior surface of the sleeve to bear against the exterior surface of the collet, causing the collet to swage radially inwards around and against the one or more tensile members.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: LITTLE ENGINE LLC
To: SPECTRAL - FLUSH ANCHOR SYSTEMS LLC
Reel/Frame 069709/0988 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2023
From: COLE, J. DEAN; KELLAR, FRANZ W.; CROWDER, HAROLD L.; BISSETTE, MICHAEL D.
To: LITTLE ENGINE, LLC
Reel/Frame 064042/0100 →
Continuity (6)
Division 17181547 · Feb 22, 2021
Continuation 16986882 · Aug 6, 2020
Continuation In Part 16786544 · Feb 10, 2020
Continuation In Part 16523747 · Jul 26, 2019
Provisional Application 62964927 · Jan 23, 2020
Related Publication 20230301699A1 · Sep 28, 2023
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