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US 6,269,716 B1Granted
High-torque resorbable screws
AssigneeMacroPore, Inc.
InventorJames Peter Amis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A high-torque fastener having a threaded shaft and a star-shaped head is disclosed. The high-torque fastener is made of a resorbable or other non-magnetic material. A mating driver snugly fits around the star-shaped head of the fastener, to thereby apply torque to the perimeter of the star-shaped head. The driver can be made disposable, and the driver and fastener packaged together in a single, disposable, assembly. Additionally, the driver can be color coded to indicate the size of the fastener which is pre-attached to the driver in the packaging.
Claims20
A fastener and driver assembly, comprising:
- (a) a resorbable fastener including:
- (i) a threaded shaft having a shaft proximal end, a shaft distal end, and a shaft rotational axis extending therebetween, the threaded shaft having a shaft diameter measured in a direction transverse to the shaft rotational axis;
- and
- (ii) a head connected to the shaft proximal end, the head having a head proximal end, a head distal end, and a head rotational axis extending therebetween, the head having a head diameter measured in a direction transverse to the head rotational axis and a head perimeter, the head distal end comprising a tapered portion having a first slope;
- and
- (b) a driver having a driver proximal end, a driver distal end and a driver rotational axis extending therebetween, the driver further having a driver opening at the driver distal end for accommodating the head therein, the driver distal end comprising a tapered portion having a second slope;
- (c) wherein the first slope is substantially equal to the second slope when the head is secured within the driver opening;
- (d) wherein:
- (i) the tapered portion of the head distal end tapers in a distal direction, the tapered portion of the head distal end beginning near the head perimeter and decreasing in diameter to the shaft proximal end;
- (ii) the tapered portion of the driver distal end tapers in a distal direction, the tapered portion of the driver distal end beginning in an area between the driver proximal end and the driver distal end, and decreasing in diameter to the driver distal end;
- (iii) the head of the fastener is adapted to snugly fit within the driver opening when the driver distal end accommodates the head therein;
- (iv) the tapered portion of the head distal end is substantially flush with the tapered portion of the driver distal end when the driver distal end has, after first accommodating the head therein, secured the fastener into a target;
- (v) the tapered portion of the head distal end is substantially flush with the tapered portion of the driver distal end when the driver distal end is placed over and around a head of a fastener, which has been previously secured into a target;
- (vi) the tapered portion of the head distal end is not substantially flush with the tapered portion of the driver distal end when the driver distal end has fully accommodated the head proximal end therein but not yet fully secured the fastener into a target;
- and
- (vii) the tapered portion of the head distal end is not substantially flush with the tapered portion of the driver distal end when the driver distal end has been, first, placed over and around a head of a fastener which was previously secured into a target and, then, rotated to partially remove the fastener from the target and, finally, pushed in a distal direction further over and around the fastener.
13 more elements
A fastener and driver assembly, comprising:
- (a) a resorbable fastener including:
- (i) a threaded shaft having a shaft proximal end, a shaft distal end, and a shaft rotational axis extending therebetween, the threaded shaft having a shaft diameter measured in a direction transverse to the shaft rotational axis;
- and
- (ii) a head connected to the shaft proximal end, the head having a head proximal end, a head distal end, and a head rotational axis extending therebetween, the head having a head diameter measured in a direction transverse to the head rotational axis and a head perimeter, the head distal end comprising a tapered portion having a first slope;
- and
- (b) a driver having a driver proximal end, a driver distal end and a driver rotational axis extending therebetween, the driver further having a driver opening at the driver distal end for accommodating the head therein, the driver distal end comprising a tapered portion having a second slope;
- (c) wherein the first slope is substantially equal to the second slope when the head is secured within the driver opening;
- and
- (d) wherein a proximal portion of the head, disposed proximally of the tapered portion of the head distal end, comprises at least 25 percent of a height of the head, the height being measured along the rotational axis of the head.
6 more elements
A fastener and driver assembly, comprising:
- (a) a resorbable fastener including:
- (i) a threaded shaft having a shaft proximal end, a shaft distal end, and a shaft rotational axis extending therebetween, the threaded shaft having a shaft diameter measured in a direction transverse to the shaft rotational axis;
- and
- (ii) a head connected to the shaft proximal end, the head having a head proximal end, a head distal end, and a head rotational axis extending therebetween, the head having a head diameter measured in a direction transverse to the head rotational axis and a head perimeter, the head distal end comprising a tapered portion having a first slope;
- (b) a driver having a driver proximal end, a driver distal end and a driver rotational axis extending therebetween, the driver further having a driver opening at the driver distal end for accommodating the head therein, the driver distal end comprising a tapered portion having a second slope;
- (c) wherein the first slope is substantially equal to the second slope when the head is secured within the driver opening;
- and
- (d) wherein a proximal portion of the head, disposed proximally of the tapered portion of the head distal end, comprises about 50 percent of a height of the head, the height being measured along the rotational axis of the head.
5 more elements
A fastener and driver assembly, comprising:
- a resorbable fastener including:
- (i) a threaded shaft having a shaft proximal end, a shaft distal end, and a shaft rotational axis extending therebetween, the threaded shaft having a shaft diameter measured in a direction transverse to the rotational axis;
- and
- (ii) a star-shaped head connected to the proximal end of the threaded shaft, the star-shape head having a head proximal end, a head distal end, and a head rotational axis extending therebetween, the star-shaped head having a head diameter measured in a direction transverse to the head rotational axis and a star-shaped head perimeter;
- and
- a driver having a driver proximal end, a driver distal end and a driver rotational axis extending therebetween, the driver further having a star-shaped driver opening at the driver distal end for accommodating the head therein;
- wherein the head diameter is defined as a maximum diameter of the star-shaped head, measured in a direction normal to the head rotational axis;
- wherein the star-shaped head further comprises an inner head diameter, a head thickness, and a curved proximal end;
- wherein the inner head diameter is defined as a minimum diameter of the star-shaped head, measured in a direction normal to the head rotational axis,
- wherein the head thickness is defined in a direction parallel to the head rotational axis;
- and
- wherein a ratio of a head thickness on a periphery of the head at the inner diameter to a maximum the thickness is at least about 50 percent.
9 more elements
A fastener and driver assembly, comprising:
- (a) a driver having a driver proximal end, a driver distal end and a driver rotational axis extending therebetween, the driver comprising a driver opening at the driver distal end;
- and
- (b) a resorbable fastener including:
- (i) a threaded shaft having a shaft proximal end, a shaft distal end, and a shaft rotational axis extending therebetween;
- and
- (ii) a head connected to the shaft proximal end, the head having a head proximal side, a head distal side, a head rotational axis extending therebetween, and a head perimeter connecting the head proximal side to the head distal side;
- (c) wherein the head of the fastener is sized and configured to be firmly and frictionally secured within the driver opening, so that the fastener cannot be separated from the driver by any shaking movement of the driver by a hand of a user, the shaking movement being defined as a motion wherein the only contact to the fastener and driver assembly is the user's hand, which contacts only the driver and which remains on the driver throughout the motion.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.