Patent US2022990A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3581715A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6443953B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6443953B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Self-aligning cap nut for use with a spinal rod anchor

Assignee: HighRidge Medical LLC
•
Filing: 2000-03-06
•
Granted: 2002-09-03
•
Expires: 2020-03-06
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A spinal implant system is provided having a stabilization rod, a plurality of bone anchors which could be either hooks or screws and which have an internal recess that defines a rod-receiving channel. Sidewalls of the anchor project beyond the recess, and are threaded on the outside. These external threads cooperate with the internal threads of a locking member, or cap nut, which has a top surface with a cavity that includes an internal hexagon. The internal threads are on the inside of the cylindrical sidewalls of the cap nut. Further, on the bottom side of the top surface, the cap nut has a guide member in the form of a cylindrical boss, which has a smaller diameter than that of the recess within the anchor. The boss helps to prevent cross threading and to prevent collapse of the anchor sidewalls under high forces. An annular ridge on the bottom of the boss further helps to retain the rod relative to the anchor.

Inventors

  • 👤 Joseph Perra
  • 👤 Rolando Puno
  • 👤 Philip A. Mellinger

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 20:46
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/70; A61B17/7001; A61B17/7035; A61B17/7037; A61B17/7032

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 84 words
A spinal stabilization system comprising: a bone anchor having a recess which defines a rod receiving channel and having sidewalls which extend beyond the rod receiving channel which include external threads; a rod, and a locking member having a sidewall defining an internal recess having internal threads that mate with the external threads of the anchor, a top wall with a cavity defining an internal torque driving surface, and an integral guide member that extends downwardly from said top wall into said internal recess.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 84 words
A spinal stabilization system comprising: a bone anchor having a recess which defines a rod receiving channel and having sidewalls which extend beyond the rod receiving channel which include external threads; a rod, and a locking member having a sidewall defining an internal recess having internal threads that mate with the external threads of the anchor, a top wall with a cavity defining an internal torque driving surface, and an integral guide member that extends downwardly from said top wall into said internal recess.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said guide member includes a bottom surface, which has a high friction surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said high friction surface is an annular ridge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said internal torque surface is an internal hexagon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said locking member is a cap nut.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the guide member extends into the internal recess beyond the termination of the internal threads.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the guide member has a bevel at its terminal end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 133 words
A spinal stabilization system comprising: a bone anchor having a recess which defines a stabilizer receiving channel and having sidewalls which extend beyond the stabilizer receiving channel which include external threads; a stabilizer, and a locking member which is a capnut having a sidewall defining an internal recess having internal threads that mate with the external threads of the anchor and that extend downwardly to a thread runout, a top wall defining a torque driving surface, and the capnut has an internal boss that extends downwardly from said top wall into said internal recess beyond the thread runout of the internal threads and which has a terminal end having an annular ridge such that the locking member has four areas of contact with the stabilizer when the system has been assembled and tightened.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 133 words
A spinal stabilization system comprising: a bone anchor having a recess which defines a stabilizer receiving channel and having sidewalls which extend beyond the stabilizer receiving channel which include external threads; a stabilizer, and a locking member which is a capnut having a sidewall defining an internal recess having internal threads that mate with the external threads of the anchor and that extend downwardly to a thread runout, a top wall defining a torque driving surface, and the capnut has an internal boss that extends downwardly from said top wall into said internal recess beyond the thread runout of the internal threads and which has a terminal end having an annular ridge such that the locking member has four areas of contact with the stabilizer when the system has been assembled and tightened.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said stabilizer is a rod.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the bone anchor is a screw.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 21 words
A spinal stabilization system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the boss has a bevel at its terminal end.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5005562A Cited
US5261912A Cited
US5536268A Cited
US5713898A Cited
US5738685A Cited
US5752957A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2005-09-02 2006-03-04 2006-09-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2009-09-02 2010-03-04 2010-09-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2013-09-02 2014-03-04 2014-09-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag