US 6,644,087 B1Granted

Rod bender for bending surgical rods

AssigneeThird Millennium Engineering, LLC

InventorsJames D. Ralph, Stephen Tatar, Thomas N. Troxell

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Abstract

A rod bender includes a ram shaft, having a distal end with an arcuate rod contact surface, that is movable along a shaft path that passes between two rollers, each having a curved roller surface. Each of the rollers is positionable, in an analog manner, at a variety of positions along a respective roller path, relative to a distal position of the arcuate rod contact surface. A straight rod, positioned against the rollers so that it spans the space separating the rollers and crosses the shaft path, can be rammed with the ram shaft so that the rod is bent into an arc. The rod is bent as the movement of the ram shaft pushes the arcuate rod contact surface forward against the center of the rod, while the curved roller surfaces prevent corresponding forward movement of the lateral portions of the rod.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A rod bender for bending a surgical rod for use in spine surgery, comprising:

a ram shaft having a distal end having an arcuate rod contact surface, the ram shaft extending parallel to a plane and being moveable, along a shaft path that is parallel to the plane, through a plurality of positions including a ram shaft proximal position and a ram shaft distal position, the ram shaft distal position being a position in which the arcuate rod contact surface is in a distal contact surface position;
and
a pair of cylindrical rollers, each having a curved roller surface, the rollers being disposed relative to the plane such that the shaft path passes between the rollers, each roller being rotatably mounted relative to the plane such that a rotation axis of each roller is perpendicular to the plane, each roller being moveable relative to the distal contact surface position, along a respective roller path that is parallel to the plane, through a plurality of positions including a roller proximal position and a roller distal position;
wherein a straight rod, disposed perpendicular to the shaft path when the ram shaft is in the ram shaft proximal position, is bendable by movement of the ram shaft toward the ram shaft distal position as the arcuate rod contact surface pushes the rod while the curved roller surfaces resist movement of the rod;
and
wherein each roller is rotatably mounted at a distal end of a respective roller shaft, each roller shaft extending parallel to the plane, such that the rotation axis of each roller is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of its respective roller shaft, wherein each roller shaft has a proximal end, and the proximal ends of the roller shafts are hinged to one another about a roller shaft hinge axis, the roller shaft hinge axis being perpendicular to the plane, at a roller shaft hinge point between the rollers and forward of the shaft path, whereby rotation of each roller shaft about the roller shaft hinge axis moves its associated roller along the roller path of the associated roller.

3 more elements

A rod bender for bending a rod, comprising:

a ramming surface providing element disposed parallel to a plane, the ramming surface providing element being movable along a ramming path that is parallel to the plane, the ramming surface providing element having a ramming surface that contacts and pushes a rod as the ramming surface providing element is moved along the ramming path;
a plurality of resistance surface providing elements, each being positionable at a variety of positions adjacent the ramming path such that the ramming path passes between at least two of the resistance surface providing elements, each of the resistance surface providing elements having a resistance surface against which the rod is pushed by the ramming surface as the ramming surface providing element is moved along the ramming path;
wherein the rod is bendable by the ramming surface providing element pushing the rod, with the ramming surface, between the at least two of the resistance surface providing elements while the resistance surfaces resist movement of the rod;
and
wherein the rod is bendable into any one of a plurality of arc shapes, and wherein each possible positioning of the resistance surface providing elements determines a respective one of the plurality of arc shapes;
and
wherein each resistance surface providing element is mounted at a distal end of a respective support shaft, each support shaft extending parallel to the plane, wherein each support shaft has a proximal end, and wherein the proximal ends of the support shafts are hinged to one another about a support shaft hinge axis, the support shaft hinge axis being perpendicular to the plane, at a support shaft hinge point between the resistance surface providing elements and forward of the ramming path, whereby rotation of either support shaft about the support shaft hinge axis moves its associated resistance surface providing element.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.