# US 2014/0194936 A1 · Undercut screw feature and driver

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- Number: US 2014/0194936 A1
- Document ID: US20140194936A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/734,996
- Filed: 2013-01-06
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-06
- Assignees: Alphatec Spine, Inc.
- Inventors: David T. HAWKES; Michael D. Ensign
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194936A1

## CPC

- A61B 17/8891: {at its periphery}
- A61B 17/8615: {at the central region of the screw head}
- A61B 17/862: {at the periphery of the screw head}
- A61B 17/8888: {at its central region}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A driver including a handle, lever, swivel cap, shaft, and a tip mechanically connected to the lever configured to engage a screw. Engaging the lever causes the tip to either compress or expand so as to lock the screw to the driver. According to one exemplary embodiment, the cap can be translated releasing the lever, thereby releasing the screw from the tip. According to one embodiment, the cap is a swivel cap allowing for jeweler style use. Advantages of the present system and method, according to various embodiments, include a tip compressing a feature that is within an outer diameter of the screw allowing a driver, or a portion thereof, to have a maximum diameter equal to or smaller than the maximum diameter of a screw.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-22. (canceled)

### Claim 23

A screw comprising:
a threaded shaft including a proximal end and a distal end; and
a head disposed on said proximal end of said threaded shaft, said head having an outer diameter;
wherein said head includes an orifice having:
an entry section configured to mate with a screwdriver tip;
an undercut section configured to be engaged by an expandable portion of said screwdriver tip; and
a slot configured to be engaged by a narrowed point portion of said screwdriver tip.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The screw of claim 23, wherein said entry section is a female hex shape.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The screw of claim 23, wherein said orifice is disposed within said outer diameter of said head of said screw.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The screw of claim 23, wherein said undercut section includes a taper that mates with said expandable tip of said screwdriver.

### Claim 27

A fastening system comprising:
a screw driver including:
a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
a cap member disposed on said proximal end of said handle;
a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end protruding from said distal end of said handle;
a tip disposed on said distal end of said shaft;
an engagement member pivotably disposed on said handle,
wherein said engagement member is coupled to said tip and configured to selectively actuate said tip;
said tip being configured to selectively secure a screw to said screwdriver via expansion of said tip when actuated; and
said screw comprising:
a threaded shaft including a proximal end and a distal end; and
a head disposed on said proximal end of said threaded shaft;
wherein said head includes an orifice configured to mate with said tip:
an entry section;
an undercut section configured to mate with said engagement member; and
a slot configured to mate with a narrowed point portion of said tip.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The screw of claim 27, wherein said orifice is disposed within said outer diameter of said head of said screw.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The fastening system of claim 27, wherein said engagement member is configured to selectively cause said tip to expand and contract; wherein said expandable tip is configured to expand within said undercut section of said screw to frictionally secure said screw.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The screw of claim 27, wherein said undercut section includes a taper that mates with said expandable tip of said screwdriver.

### Claim 31 (depends on 27)

The fastening system of claim 27, wherein said cap member comprises a rotatable cap disposed on said proximal end of said handle, said rotatable cap being rotatably coupled to said handle.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The fastening system of claim 31, wherein said rotatable cap is configured to release said engagement member from an engaged position when said rotatable cap is translated in a proximal direction with respect to said handle.

### Claim 33

A fastening system comprising:
a screw driver including:
a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
a cap member disposed on said proximal end of said handle;
a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end protruding from said distal end of said handle;
a pin slidably positioned within said shaft;
an actuation member pivotably disposed on said handle wherein said actuation member is configured to selectively actuate said pin, transitioning said pin between an extended locked position and an unlocked position,
a tip disposed on said distal end of said shaft, wherein said tip further comprises a plurality of tip engagement pieces, each of said tip engagement pieces including:
a proximal end, a distal end, an inner surface, and an outer surface, wherein said proximal end of said tip engagement pieces is rotatably coupled to said distal end of said shaft; and
an engagement protrusion formed on said inner surface of said tip engagement piece, said engagement protrusion being configured to engage said pin when in said extended locked position to rotate said tip engagement pieces;
said tip being configured to selectively secure a screw to said screwdriver via expansion of said tip when actuated; and
said screw comprising:
a threaded shaft including a proximal end and a distal end; and
a head disposed on said proximal end of said threaded shaft;
wherein said head includes an orifice with an entry section configured to mate with said tip and an undercut section configured to mate with said tip engagement pieces.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The fastening system of claim 33, wherein said orifice further includes a slot configured to mate with a narrowed point portion of said tip.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The fastening system of claim 33, wherein said screwdriver further includes:
a retention orifice defined on said actuation member; and
a protrusion disposed on a distal end of said cap member;
wherein said cap member is configured to engage said actuation member via said retention orifice when engaged; and
wherein said cap member is configured to release said actuation member from an engaged position when said rotatable cap is translated in a proximal direction with respect to said handle.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The fastening system of claim 33, wherein said cap member comprises a rotatable cap disposed on said proximal end of said handle, said rotatable cap being rotatably coupled to said handle.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The fastening system of claim 36, wherein said rotatable cap is configured to release said engagement member from an engaged position when said rotatable cap is translated in a proximal direction with respect to said handle.