# US 11,304,738 B2 · Bone screw and tool for use therewith > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,738 B2 - Document ID: US11304738B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/783,272 - Filed: 2020-02-06 - Published: 2020-06-11 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-21 - Applicants: Thomas Stuart Loftus - Inventors: Thomas Stuart Loftus - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304738B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/7055: {connected to sacrum, pelvis or skull} - A61B 17/888: {the driver bit acting on the central region of the screw head} - A61B 17/7082: {for driving, i.e. rotating, screws or screw parts specially adapted for spinal fixation, e.g. for driving polyaxial or tulip-headed screws} - A61B 17/8615: {at the central region of the screw head} - A61B 17/8625: {Shanks, i.e. parts contacting bone tissue} - A61B 17/863: {with thread interrupted or changing its form along shank, other than constant taper} - A61B 17/864: {hollow, e.g. with socket or cannulated} - A61B 17/8877: {characterised by the cross-section of the driver bit} - A61F 2/30771: {applied in original prostheses, e.g. holes or grooves} - A61B 17/8685: {comprising multiple separate parts} - A61F 2002/30622: {Implant for fusing a joint or bone material} - A61F 2002/30858: {Threads interrupted by grooves or sidewalls, e.g. flat sidewalls} - A61F 2002/3092: {having an open-celled or open-pored structure} - A61F 2002/3093: {for promoting ingrowth of bone tissue} - A61F 2002/30995: {for sacro-iliac joints} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A bone screw comprises a main body including a shank portion, a head portion attached to the shank portion, and a cap moveably attached to the head portion. The head portion includes a tool interface structure therein having a closed end portion, an open end portion and sidewall extending therebetween. A tool lock recess is provided in at least one of the sidewalls of the tool interface structure. The tool interface structure is accessible through an opening within an exterior surface of the cap. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bone screw, comprising: a shank portion having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the shank portion includes at least one thread on an exterior surface thereof extending from adjacent the proximal end of the shank portion to adjacent the distal end of the shank portion, wherein the shank portion includes at least one bone material aperture therein extending between the exterior surface of the shank portion and the interior surface of the shank portion such that an aperture sidewall is defined between the exterior surface of the shank portion and an interior surface of the shank portion, wherein the at least one bone material aperture extends through the at least one thread over at least a portion of an entire length of the shank portion and wherein one or more leading edge faces of the at least one thread is reclined with respect to the aperture sidewall; and a head portion attached to the shank portion at the proximate end thereof, wherein the head portion includes a tool interface structure therein and wherein the tool interface structure includes a plurality of sidewalls, a floor and a tool lock recess located within at least one of the sidewalls. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bone screw of claim 1 wherein: the tool interface structure therein has a closed end portion, an open end portion and sidewall extending therebetween; and the tool lock recess is partially defined by a floor of the tool interface structure at the closed end portion thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bone screw of claim 1 wherein: the shank portion includes a cannulation passage extending longitudinally therethrough; the cannulation passage defines the interior surface of the shank portion; the at least one bone material aperture extends through the at least one thread over a first partial length of the shank portion; the at least one thread extends over a second partial length of the shank portion; the first partial length is shorter than the second partial length; the second partial length encompasses the first partial length; the first partial length begins at a first distance from the proximate end of the shank portion; the second partial length begins at a second distance from the proximate end of the shank portion; and the first distance is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The bone screw of claim 3 wherein the first distance is equal to about a thread pitch distance of the at least one thread. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The bone screw of claim 3 wherein: the head portion includes the tool interface structure therein having a closed end portion, an open end portion and sidewall extending therebetween; and the tool lock recess is partially defined by a floor of the tool interface structure at the closed end portion thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The bone screw of claim 1 wherein: the shank portion includes a cannulation passage extending longitudinally therethrough; the cannulation passage defines the interior surface of the shank portion; the shank portion includes a plurality of bone material apertures therein each extending between the exterior surface of the shank portion and the interior surface of the shank portion; and the exterior surface of the shank portion includes a channel therein extending between a first one of the bone material apertures and a second one of the bone material apertures thereby forming a contiguous bone material window having opposing side walls and a bridge member attached therebetween. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bone screw of claim 1 wherein: the shank portion includes a cannulation passage extending longitudinally therethrough; and the cannulation passage defines the interior surface of the shank portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The bone screw of claim 1 wherein: a width of the at least one bone material aperture is equal to about a thread pitch distance of the at least one thread; and the one or more leading edge faces of the at least one thread is reclined such that a transverse tip-to-tip distance between opposing edge faces of the thread is at least about 25% greater than the thread pitch distance of the at least one thread. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The bone screw of claim 7 wherein: the tool interface structure therein has a closed end portion, an open end portion and sidewall extending therebetween; and the tool lock recess is partially defined by a floor of the tool interface structure at the closed end portion thereof. ### Claim 10 A bone screw, comprising: a main body including a shank portion and a head portion attached to the shank portion, wherein the head portion includes a tool interface structure therein having a closed end portion, an open end portion and sidewall extending therebetween, wherein a tool lock recess is provided in at least one of the sidewalls of the tool interface structure, wherein the shank portion includes at least one bone material aperture therein extending between the exterior surface of the shank portion and an interior surface of the shank portion such that an aperture sidewall is defined between the exterior surface of the shank portion and the interior surface of the shank portion, wherein the at least one bone material aperture extends through the at least one thread over at least a portion of an entire length of the shank portion and wherein one or more leading edge faces of the at least one thread is reclined with respect to the aperture sidewall; and a cap moveably attached to the head portion, wherein the tool interface structure is accessible through an opening within an exterior surface of the cap. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bone screw of claim 10 wherein the tool lock recess is partially defined by a floor of the tool interface structure at the closed end portion thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The bone screw of claim 10 wherein: the shank portion includes a cannulation passage extending longitudinally therethrough; the cannulation passage defines the interior surface of the shank portion; the at least one bone material aperture extends through the at least one thread over a first partial length of the shank portion; the at least one thread extends over a second partial length of the shank portion; the first partial length is shorter than the second partial length; the second partial length encompasses the first partial length; the first partial length begins at a first distance from the proximate end of the shank portion; the second partial length begins at a second distance from the proximate end of the shank portion; and the first distance is greater than the second distance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The bone screw of claim 12 wherein the tool lock recess is partially defined by a floor of the tool interface structure at the closed end portion thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The bone screw of claim 10 wherein: the shank portion includes a cannulation passage extending longitudinally therethrough; and the cannulation passage defines the interior surface of the shank portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The bone screw of claim 10 wherein: a width of the at least one bone material aperture is equal to about a thread pitch distance of the at least one thread; and the one or more leading edge faces of the at least one thread is reclined such that a transverse tip-to-tip distance between opposing edge faces of the thread is at least about 25% greater than the thread pitch distance of the at least one thread. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The bone screw of claim 14 wherein the tool lock recess is partially defined by a floor of the tool interface structure at the closed end portion thereof. ### Claim 17 A bone screw, comprising: a shank portion having at least one helically shaped thread on an exterior surface thereof, wherein the thread extends from adjacent a proximal end of the shank portion to adjacent a distal end of the shank portion, wherein the shank portion includes a cannulation passage extending longitudinally therethrough, wherein the cannulation passage defines an interior surface of the shank portion, wherein the shank portion includes at least one bone material aperture therein extending between the exterior surface of the shank portion and the interior surface of the shank portion such that an aperture sidewall is defined between the exterior surface of the shank portion and the interior surface of the shank portion and wherein one or more leading edge faces of the at least one thread is reclined with respect to the aperture sidewall; a head portion attached to the shank portion at the proximal end thereof, wherein the head portion includes a tool interface structure therein, wherein the tool interface structure includes a closed end portion, an open end portion and sidewalls extending therebetween, wherein the tool interface structure includes a tool lock enabling feature provided in at least one of the sidewalls thereof and wherein the cannulation passage is exposed at the closed end portion of the tool interface structure; and a cap moveably attached to the head portion, wherein the tool interface structure is accessible through an opening within an exterior surface of the cap. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The bone screw of claim 17 wherein: the at least one bone material aperture extends through the at least one thread over at least a portion of an entire length of the shank portion; and a width of the at least one bone material aperture is equal to about a thread pitch distance of the at least one thread.