Variable-angle locking screws, and bone plate systems that include variable-angle locking screws
AssigneeCardinal Health 247, Inc.
InventorsMICHAEL JOSEPH MILELLA, JR., SARAH ELIZABETH SCHAAKE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bone plate system may include a combination of one or more of a bone plate, non-locking screws, standard locking screws, and variable-angle locking screws. The bone plate may have threaded holes and non-threaded holes. Variable-angle locking screws may have a threaded shank and a threaded head. The threading on the head may be discontinuous, which allows the variable-angle locking screw to be inserted into a threaded hole on the plate at an angle relative to the axis of the threaded hole.
Claims32
A variable-angle locking (VAL) screw insertable into a threaded hole, the VAL screw comprising:
- a head having a first end, a second end, and an outer surface extending between the first end and the second end;
- and
- a shank extending from the first end of the head along a longitudinal axis of the VAL screw,
- wherein the outer surface of the head includes a plurality of thread segments,
- wherein the outer surface of the head includes engaging portions that engage the threaded hole and non-engaging portions that do not engage the threaded hole, and
- wherein the plurality of thread segments extend across the engaging portions and do not extend across the non-engaging portions.
A variable-angle locking (VAL) screw insertable into a threaded hole, the VAL screw comprising:
- a head having a first end, a second end, and an outer surface extending between the first end and the second end;
- and
- a shank extending from the first end of the head along a longitudinal axis of the VAL screw,
- wherein the outer surface of the head comprises one or more discontinuous threads.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.