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AssigneeAesculap AG
InventorsJens Beger, Fabian Hoefer, Berthold Hohl, Stefan Schmid, Josef Heine
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A connecting element for a spinal column stabilization system includes a first attachment section for fixing to a first bone attachment device, a second attachment section for fixing to a second bone attachment device and an at least partially flexible intermediate section. The intermediate section is arranged between the first and the second attachment section and is in the form of a strip-like, winding leaf spring element having at least one recess. A desired spring stiffness is maintained as precisely as possible, especially in the intermediate section independently of possible manufacturing tolerances arising from the manufacturing process. At least one of the two leaf spring element surfaces of the leaf spring element includes at least one stiffness-modifying element. The connecting element may be part of an improved spinal column fixation system and made by an improved method of manufacturing a connecting element.
A connecting element for a spinal column stabilization system comprising a first attachment section for fixing to a first bone attachment device, a second attachment section for fixing to a second bone attachment device and an at least partially flexible intermediate section which is arranged or formed between the first and the second attachment section, which said intermediate section is in the form of a strip-like, winding leaf spring element and comprises at least one recess which is open to the side in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis defined by the intermediate section, wherein at least one of the two leaf spring element surfaces of the leaf spring element comprises at least one stiffness-modifying element.
A spinal column stabilization system comprising at least one first bone attachment device, at least one second bone attachment device and a connecting element, which connecting element comprises a first attachment section for fixing to the at least one first bone attachment device, a second bone attachment section for fixing to the at least one second bone attachment device and an at least partially flexible intermediate section that is arranged or formed between the first and the second attachment section, which intermediate section is in the form of a strip-like, winding leaf spring element and comprises at least one recess which is open to the side in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis defined by the intermediate section, wherein at least one of the two leaf spring element surfaces of the leaf spring element comprises at least one stiffness-modifying element.
A method of manufacturing a connecting element for a spinal column stabilization system comprising a first attachment section for fixing to a first bone attachment device, a second bone attachment section for fixing to a second bone attachment device and an at least partially flexible intermediate section that is arranged or formed between the first and the second attachment section, which intermediate section is in the form of a strip-like, winding leaf spring element and comprises at least one recess which is open to the side in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis defined by the intermediate section, wherein at least one stiffness-modifying element is formed on at least one of the two leaf spring element surfaces of the leaf spring element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.