Locking mechanism
AssigneeAesculap II, Inc.
InventorMarc E. Richelsoph
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A locking mechanism including a non-threaded, self-adjusting locking device for locking a rod in place within a screw and rod assembly. A non-threaded, self-adjusting locking device for locking a rod in place within a screw and rod assembly. A spring for locking a rod in a screw and rod fixation assembly. A assembly including an implant body including a rod seat for seating a rod therein, a biasing device seat for seating a biasing device therein, and a biasing device seated in the biasing device seat for biasing a rod against a rod seat. A method of biasing a rod against a rod seat in a screw and rod fixation assembly.
Claims18
A spinal fixation assembly comprising:
- a fixing mechanism defining a seat for receiving a spinal fixation rod;
- and
- a locking mechanism comprising a locking means adapted to be moved axially along a plane perpendicular to the seat until the locking mechanism is non-threadably fixed in position relative to the fixing mechanism while being self-adjusting relative thereto for locking a rod in place within the fixing mechanism.
A spinal fixation assembly comprising:
- an implant body defining a seat for receiving a spinal fixation rod, the implant body further defining a circumferential groove;
- and
- a locking mechanism including a spring biased portion and an edge portion, the edge portion snap-fittingly engages the groove such that the locking mechanism is retained relative to the implant body with the spring biased portion facing the seat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.