Fastener for attaching objects to bones

A fastener for expanding into a hole in a material, said fastener comprising:

• a rivet having a tubular body with first and second ends, an exterior surface, the body with an aperture extending therethrough from the first end to the second end wherein the aperture has a first cross sectional area in a first portion of the body adjacent to the first end and a second cross sectional area in a second portion of the body adjacent to the second end of the body wherein the first cross sectional area is smaller than the second cross sectional area thereby forming an annular step in the aperture, a plurality of elongated slots extending along the exterior surface spaced from both the first end and the second end and communicating with the aperture and said elongated slots defining longitudinal ribs in the body between the slots which ribs expand into the material when said rivet is compressed, and
• a puller for compressing the rivet, said puller comprising a rod, a head and an intermediate section connecting the rod to the head, wherein the rod fits within the first portion of the body, the head being incapable of fitting through the aperture at the second end, and the intermediate section fitting within the aperture in the second portion of the body while being incapable of fitting in the aperture in the first portion of the body, the intermediate section forming a recess for capturing the second end of the rivet, said recess being free of restrictions to movement of the second end of the rivet.

A fastener for expanding into a hole in a material, said fastener comprising:

• a rivet having a tubular body with first and second ends, an exterior surface and a projection extending radially from the first end, the body having an aperture extending therethrough from the first end to the second end wherein the aperture has a first diameter in a first portion of the body adjacent to the first end and a second diameter in a second portion of the body adjacent to the second end of the body wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter thereby forming an annular step in the aperture, a plurality of elongated slots extending along the exterior surface spaced from both the first end and the second end and communicating with the aperture in the second portion of the body and said elongated slots defining longitudinal ribs in the body between the apertures, and
• a puller located in the aperture for expanding said rivet, said puller comprising a rod, a head and an intermediate section connecting the rod to the head, wherein the rod has a diameter that is less than the first diameter, the head has a diameter that is greater than the second diameter and the intermediate section having surface that engages the step to restrict movement of said puller through the aperture in the rivet, the intermediate section forming a recess for capturing the second end of the rivet, said recess being free of restrictions to movement of the second end of the rivet.