Back to results
US 2010/0160974 A1Published application
Method of Bone Anchor Assembly
AssigneeZimmer Spine, Inc.
InventorThomas O. Viker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of assembling a bone anchor assembly is presented. The bone anchor assembly includes a bone anchor and housing configured to receive the bone anchor and a longitudinal member. The bone anchor is inserted into a passage in the housing and material is swaged to retain the bone anchor in the housing. The material that is swaged is a portion of the housing or additional material added to the assembly.
Claims20
A method of assembling a bone anchor system comprising:
- providing a first die having a first cavity and a positioning member extending into the first cavity;
- inserting a housing into the first cavity, the housing having side walls defining a bore, the bore structured to receive a bone anchor;
- inserting a bone anchor into the bore of the housing and over the positioning member, the bone anchor having a shaft, a head, and an opening in the head configured to receive the positioning member, wherein the bone anchor is inserted such that at least a majority of the head is within the housing and the shaft extends from the housing;
- and
- swaging material around the bone anchor head thereby retaining the bone anchor in the housing.
2 more elements
A method of assembling a bone anchor system comprising:
- providing a bone anchor, the bone anchor including a head and a shaft, the head having an opening;
- providing a housing, the housing having an upper portion, a lower portion, a first passage configured to receive the bone anchor, and a second passage configured to receive a longitudinal member;
- providing a first die body having a positioning member configured to be received in the bone anchor head opening;
- providing a second die body having a first cavity configured to receive at least the upper portion of the housing and at least part of the bone anchor head;
- providing a third die body having a second cavity configured to receive the bone anchor shaft and at least the lower portion of the housing, the second cavity having inner walls in a swaging region configured to swage at least a portion of the housing inward toward the first passage;
- inserting the bone anchor into the first passage in the housing through the lower portion;
- inserting the bone anchor and housing onto the positioning member;
- placing the second die body over the bone anchor shaft and housing such that the upper portion of the housing is positioned in the first cavity;
- placing the third die body over the bone anchor shaft and lower portion of the housing;
- and
- driving the first and third die bodies toward each other, thereby swaging at least a part of the lower portion of the housing around the anchor to secure the anchor in the housing.
8 more elements
A method of assembling a bone anchor system comprising:
- providing a die including a first cavity, a second cavity, and a positioning member extending into the first cavity;
- providing a bone anchor assembly including a bone anchor having a head and a shaft, the head having an opening configured to receive the positioning member, and a housing configured to receive the bone anchor, the housing having side walls defining a bore, the bore structured to receive the bone anchor;
- inserting the housing into the first cavity;
- inserting the bone anchor into the bore of the housing and onto the positioning member, such that at least a majority of the head is within the housing and the shaft extends from the housing;
- swaging the side walls of the housing toward the bore, forming a seat for the bone anchor head, thereby retaining the bone anchor in the housing.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.