Locking system and method

A strut assembly extending along a strut axis, the strut assembly comprising:

• a sleeve that includes a sleeve body and a sleeve bore that extends through the sleeve body along the strut axis;
• a rod rotatably fixed with respect to the sleeve, the rod having a threaded outer surface, wherein the rod extends through the sleeve bore along the strut axis such that the rod is translatable relative to the sleeve along the strut axis;
• an actuator that includes an actuator body, an inner actuator surface that defines an actuator bore that extends through the actuator body along the strut axis, and a lock surface that defines a lock channel that extends at least partially through the actuator, wherein the inner actuator surface is threadedly engaged with the threaded outer surface of the rod, such that rotation of the actuator about the strut axis relative to the rod causes the rod to translate relative to the actuator through the actuator bore and relative to the sleeve through the sleeve bore thereby adjusting a length between the bone fixation members along the strut axis;
• a first lock member positioned at least partially within the lock channel of the actuator, the first lock member being configured to transition between a locked position in which the lock member engages both the sleeve and the actuator so as to prevent relative rotation between the actuator and the rod, and an unlocked position whereby the lock member does not prevent relative rotation between the actuator and the rod;
• and
• a second lock member being threadedly engaged with the threaded outer surface of the rod such that rotation of the second lock member relative to the rod about the strut axis causes the second lock member to translate relative to the rod along the strut axis, the second lock member being configured to transition between a retain position in which the second lock member substantially prevents the first lock member from transitioning from the locked position to the unlocked position, and a release position in which the first lock member is substantially free to transition between the locked position and the unlocked position.

An external bone fixation device comprising:

• a first external bone fixation member;
• a second external bone fixation member;
• and
• a strut assembly extending along a strut axis, the strut assembly being configured to be supported between the first and the second external bone fixation members, the strut assembly comprising:
• a sleeve that includes a sleeve body and a sleeve bore that extends through the sleeve body along the strut axis;
• a rod rotatably fixed with respect to the sleeve, the rod having a threaded outer surface, wherein the rod extends through the sleeve bore along the strut axis such that the rod is translatable relative to the sleeve along the strut axis;
• an actuator that includes an actuator body and an inner actuator surface that defines an actuator bore that extends through the actuator body along the strut axis, wherein the inner actuator surface is threadedly engaged with the threaded outer surface of the rod, such that rotation of the actuator about the strut axis relative to the rod causes the rod to translate relative to the actuator through the actuator bore and relative to the sleeve through the sleeve bore thereby adjusting a length between the first bone fixation member and the second bone fixation member along the strut axis, and
• a lock member configured to transition between a locked position in which the lock member engages both the sleeve and the actuator so as to prevent relative rotation between the actuator and the rod, and an unlocked position whereby the lock member does not prevent relative rotation between the actuator and the rod.