US 2004/0176766 A1Published application

Apparatus for connecting a longitudinal member to a bone portion

AssigneeEndius Incorporated

InventorAlan E. Shluzas

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Abstract

An apparatus (10) includes a fastener (16) engageable with a bone portion to connect a longitudinal member (12) to the bone portion. A housing (40) has a first passage (42) configured to receive the longitudinal member and a second passage (44) extending transverse to the first passage. The fastener extends through an opening (50) in the housing into the second passage. A longitudinal axis (18) of the fastener is positionable in any one of a plurality of angular positions relative to a longitudinal axis (46) of the second passage. A spacer (60) received in the second passage of the housing is engageable with the fastener and the longitudinal member. A positioning member (70) applies a force to prevent relative movement between the fastener and the housing and permit manual movement of the fastener relative to the housing against the force when the longitudinal member is disengaged from the spacer. A clamping mechanism (90) clamps the longitudinal member, the spacer, and the housing to the fastener to prevent movement of the fastener relative to the housing.

Claims61

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a longitudinal member connectable with a bone portion;
a fastener having a longitudinal axis and engageable with the bone portion to connect said longitudinal member to the bone portion;
a housing having a first passage configured to receive said longitudinal member, said housing having a second passage with a longitudinal axis extending transverse to said first passage, said fastener extending through an opening in said housing into said second passage and being movable relative to said housing, said longitudinal axis of said fastener being positionable in any one of a plurality of angular positions relative to said longitudinal axis of said second passage;
a spacer received in said second passage of said housing and engageable with said fastener and said longitudinal member;
a positioning member that applies a force to prevent relative movement between said fastener and said housing when said longitudinal member is disengaged from said spacer and said spacer engages said fastener, said fastener and said housing being manually movable relative to each other against said force when said longitudinal member is disengaged from said spacer and said member applies said force;
and
a clamping mechanism that clamps said longitudinal member, said spacer and said housing to said fastener to prevent movement of said fastener relative to said housing.

4 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a longitudinal member connectable with a bone portion;
a fastener engageable with the bone portion having a longitudinal axis and connecting said longitudinal member to the bone portion;
a housing having a first passage through which said longitudinal member extends, said housing having a second passage with a longitudinal axis extending transverse to said first passage, said fastener extending through an opening in said housing into said second passage and being movable relative to said housing, said longitudinal axis of said fastener being positionable in any one of a plurality of angular positions relative to said longitudinal axis of said second passage;
a spacer received in said second passage of said housing and engageable with said fastener and said longitudinal member;
a member fixedly connected to said housing and extending from said housing into engagement with said spacer to maintain said spacer in frictional engagement with said fastener to prevent relative movement between said fastener and said housing when said longitudinal member is disengaged from said spacer and said spacer engages said fastener, said fastener and said housing being manually movable relative to each other in opposition to said frictional engagement when said longitudinal member is disengaged from said spacer;
and
a clamping mechanism that clamps said longitudinal member, said spacer, and said housing to said fastener to prevent movement of said fastener relative to said housing.

4 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a longitudinal member connectable with a bone portion;
a fastener engageable with the bone portion having a longitudinal axis and connecting said longitudinal member to the bone portion;
a housing having a first passage through which said longitudinal member extends, said housing having a second passage with a longitudinal axis extending transverse to said first passage, said fastener extending through an opening in said housing into said second passage and being movable relative to said housing, said longitudinal axis of said fastener being positionable in any one of a plurality of angular positions relative to said longitudinal axis of said second passage;
a spacer received in said second passage of said housing and engageable with said fastener and said longitudinal member;
a pin member fixedly connected to said housing and extending from said housing into engagement with said spacer to retain said spacer and said fastener in said housing when said longitudinal member is disengaged from said spacer;
and
a clamping mechanism that clamps said longitudinal member, said spacer, and said housing to said fastener to prevent movement of said fastener relative to said housing.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.