# US 2015/0148848 A1 · Bottom loading low profile fixation system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2015/0148848 A1 - Document ID: US20150148848A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/092,399 - Filed: 2013-11-27 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-27 - Assignees: Spinal LLC - Applicants: Spinal LLC - Inventors: Robert L. Doubler; John E. Hammill, SR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150148848A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/704: {the longitudinal element passing through a ball-joint in the screw head} - A61B 17/7037: {wherein pivoting is blocked when the rod is clamped} - A61B 17/7049: {Connectors, not bearing on the vertebrae, for linking longitudinal elements together (A61B17/7055, A61B17/7053, A61B17/7019 take precedence)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A low profile orthopedic device is used to fix and stabilize bones to correct anomalies in skeletal structure occurring naturally or by trauma. Bone screws are screwed into bones by application of torque. Connectors are attached to the anchored bone screws. Each connector includes a clamp and a compression ring. A connecting rod connects several connectors together. The clamps are tightened to hold the rod to the bone screws in a pre-selected position by linear movement of the compression ring. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bottom loading orthopedic device for stabilizing bones comprising: a bone screw having a first end and a second end, said first end constructed and arranged as a shank portion for penetrating securement to a bone, said second end constructed and arranged as a head portion; a connector for securing a rod to an anchored bone screw, said connector formed from a clamp securable to said head portion of said anchored bone screw, said clamp having an elongated body with an exterior wall, said exterior wall including at least one annular bulge to provide a change in the external diameter of said exterior wall and a second bulge distal to said at least one annular bulge for receipt of said head portion of said bone screw head, said second bulge comprising one or more ridges to provide additional compressive forces, a rod slot extending across said exterior wall constructed and arranged to accept said rod and a compression ring surrounding said exterior wall, said compression ring linearly traversable along said exterior walls between a first position and a second position by application of a force consisting of a linear force along a longitudinal axis of said clamp, whereby traversal of said compression ring from said first position to said second position causes said compression ring to cooperate with said at least one annular bulge to apply concurrent compressive forces to said clamp to simultaneously immobilize movement between said clamp and said rod and said clamp and said anchored bone screw. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The orthopedic device for stabilizing bones of claim 1 wherein said compression ring includes at least one inner annular ridge constructed and arranged to engage said at least one annular bulge in an overlapping manner while said compression ring is in said second position, whereby engagement of said at least one bulge and said at least one ridge applies compressive forces to said clamp for immobilizing said clamp to said head of the anchored bone screw. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The orthopedic device for stabilizing bones of claim 1 wherein said compression ring includes one inner annular surface constructed and arranged to engage said at least one annular upper bulge in an overlapping manner while said compression ring is in said second position, whereby engagement of said at least one annular upper bulge and said at least one annular surface applies compressive forces to said clamp for immobilizing said clamp to said rod. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The orthopedic device for stabilizing bones of claim 1 wherein said at least one annular bulge is constructed and arranged to cooperate with said compression ring to apply compressive forces to said clamp for immobilizing connections between said rod and said anchored bone screw. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The orthopedic device for stabilizing bones of claim 4 wherein the at least one annular bulge is constructed and arranged to cooperate with said compression ring while said compression ring is in said second position to immobilize the connection between said clamp and said bone screw said second bulge constructed and arranged to cooperate with said compression ring to immobilize the connection between said clamp while said compression ring is in said second position, whereby said compression ring may independently engage said first or said second bulges during translation thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The orthopedic device for stabilizing bones of claim 1 wherein said bone screw includes at least one helical thread for penetrating and engaging a bone and wherein said head portion is at least partially spherical in shape. ### Claim 7 An orthopedic kit for stabilizing bones comprising: at least one bone screw having a first end and a second end, said first end constructed and arranged as a shank portion for penetrating securement to a bone, said second end constructed and arranged as a head portion; a connector for securing a rod to a plurality of anchored bone screws, said connector formed from a clamp universally connected to said head portion of each said anchored bone screw for securing said anchored bone screw to a rod, said clamp having an elongated body with an exterior wall with an annular bulge and a second bulge distal to said annular bulge for receipt of said head portion of said bone screw head, a rod slot extending across said exterior wall constructed and arranged to slidably accept said rod and a compression ring surrounding said exterior wall of said clamp, said compression ring linearly traversable along said exterior wall between a first position and a second position by a force consisting of a linear force along a longitudinal axis of said clamp, said first position permitting adjustment of said rod, said second position compressing said clamp to immobilize said rod with respect to said bone screw; whereby traversal of said compression ring from said first position to said second position causes said compression ring to cooperate with said annular bulge to apply concurrent compressive forces to said clamp to simultaneously immobilize movement between said clamp and said rod and said clamp and said anchored bone screw. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The orthopedic kit for stabilizing bones of claim 7 wherein annular bulge is positioned along a length of said exterior wall of said clamp thereof to provide a change in the external diameter of said clamp, said annular bulge constructed and arranged to cooperate with said compression ring to apply compressive forces to said clamp for immobilizing movement between said clamp and anchored bone screw head. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The orthopedic kit for stabilizing bones of claim 7 wherein said exterior wall of said clamp includes a second annular bulge to provide a change in the external diameter along the upper end of said exterior wall, said second annular bulge constructed and arranged to cooperate with said compression ring to apply compressive forces to said clamp for immobilizing the movement between said clamp and said rod. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The orthopedic kit for stabilizing bones of claim 9 wherein said bulge is constructed and arranged to cooperate with a lower annular ridge while the compression ring is in the second position to immobilize the connection between the clamp and the anchored bone screw head. ### Claim 11 (canceled) ### Claim 12 (canceled) ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The orthopedic kit for stabilizing bones of claim 7 wherein said first end of said bone screw includes at least one helical thread for penetrating and engaging a bone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The orthopedic kit for stabilizing bones of claim 7 wherein said head portion of said bone screw is substantially spherical in shape. ### Claim 15 An apparatus comprising: a bone screw having a threaded shaft and a screw head; a connector having a clamp body with a receptacle sized to accommodate the head of an anchored bone screw, a rod slot, and a compression ring around an exterior wall of the clamp body and movable along the exterior walls from an open position to a closed position, the compression ring including an annular flange, the open position defined when the compression ring is moved towards the receptacle, wherein said connector is secured to an anchored bone screw by insertion of the head of the bone screw into the receptacle whereby the wall of the receptacle expands to allow receipt of the anchored bone screw head and said rod slot to allow receipt of a rod; whereby traversal of said compression ring from said open position to said closed position causes said compression ring to cooperate with said clamp to apply concurrent compressive forces to simultaneously immobilize movement between said clamp and said rod and said clamp and said anchored bone screw. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the bone screw head is spherical. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said receptacle includes slits to increase the radial flexibility of the wall as positioned within said compression ring. ### Claim 18 (canceled) ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the clamp body has annular bulges which engage annular ridges on the inside of the compression ring with the compression ring in the closed position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein a connection between the screw and the clamp body is a universal connection and the orientation of the screw relative to the clamp body is adjustable with the compression ring in the open position and the orientation between the screw and the clamp body is fixed with the compression ring in the closed position. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the rod slot has upper and lower longitudinal ridges to grip the rod. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the position of the rod in the slot is adjustable with the compression ring in the open position and is fixed with compression ring in the closed position. ### Claim 23 A method of using an orthopedic device to stabilize bones across a discontinuity, comprising: providing at least two bone screws having a threaded shaft and a spherical head; anchoring said bone screws into a bone by rotation of each screw into bone; providing a connector having a clamp body and a compression ring, said clamp body having a spherical head receptacle at one end and a rod slot at an opposing end, the receptacle sized to accommodate the head of the bone screw, the compression ring having an exterior wall movable along an exterior wall of the clamp body between an open position and a closed position, the compression ring including an annular flange at the upper edge thereof, the open position defined when the first compression ring is adjacent the receptacle such that the bone screw is pivotable relative to the clamp body; placing a rod member in the rod slot whereby the rod member extends across a discontinuity; and repositioning the first compression ring from its open position to its closed position by applying a linear force along the longitudinal centerline of said clamp for traversing said compression ring to a closed position along said exterior wall of said clamp member to compress said clamp body to substantially fix said clamp member and said rod member in a predetermined orientation with respect to the anchored bone screw whereby said bones are stabilized across said discontinuity. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of using an orthopedic device to stabilize bones across a discontinuity according to claim 23 further including the steps of providing said bone screws with an external helical thread, applying torque to said threaded bone screws for anchoring into bone, and moving said compression ring linearly by application of equal and opposite forces.