Quick attachment apparatus for use in association with orthopedic instrumentation and tools

A quick attachment apparatus for use in association with orthopedic instrumentation or tools, comprising:

• a connection portion of a device;
• a coupling member defining a passage extending generally along a longitudinal axis and sized to receive said connection portion of the device;
• a locking member associated with said coupling member, said locking member including first and second locking elements, said locking elements transitionable between a locked position and an unlocked position;
• a first biasing member engaged with said first locking element to bias said first locking element toward said locked position, and a second biasing member engaged with said second locking element to bias said second locking element toward said locked position, and wherein said locking elements are engaged with said connection portion to substantially prevent relative axial displacement between said coupling member and said connection portion;
• and
• wherein said locking elements are transitionable from said locked position to said unlocked position by application of lateral forces onto said locking elements which results in displacement of said locking elements generally along a transverse axis to transition said locking elements to said unlocked position wherein said locking elements are disengaged from said connection portion to allow relative axial displacement between said coupling member and said connection portion;
• and
• wherein said first and second locking elements are displaceable in opposite directions along said transverse axis upon application of said lateral forces to transition said locking elements toward said unlocked position, and wherein said locking elements and said connection portion define engagement elements that cooperate with one another to substantially prevent said relative axial displacement between said coupling member and said connection portion;
• and
• wherein said connection portion defines at least one of said engagement elements along a length of said connection portion, each of said first and second locking elements including at least one of said engagement elements, said at least one of said engagement elements defined by said locking elements engaged with said at least one of said engagement elements defined by said connection portion when said locking elements are in said locked position to secure said connection member in a select axial position relative to said coupling member;
• and
• wherein said first locking element includes first and second locking portions, said second locking element including a third locking portion positioned intermediate said first and second locking portions and generally aligned with said first and second locking portions along said longitudinal axis.

A quick attachment apparatus for use in association with orthopedic instrumentation or tools, comprising:

• a connection portion of a device;
• a coupling member defining a passage extending generally along a longitudinal axis and sized to receive said connection portion of the device, said connection portion defining a first thread;
• and
• a locking member associated with said coupling member, said locking member including first and second locking elements, each of said locking elements defining at least one thread segment engagable with said first thread, said locking elements transitionable between a locked position and an unlocked position, said first and second locking elements displaced in opposite directions along said transverse axis upon application of lateral forces to transition said locking elements toward said unlocked position, wherein said first locking element includes first and second locking portions, said second locking element including a third locking portion positioned intermediate said first and second locking portions and generally aligned with said first and second locking portions along said longitudinal axis;
• a first biasing member engaged with said first locking element to bias said first locking element toward said locked position, and a second biasing member engaged with said second locking element to bias said second locking element toward said locked position;
• and
• wherein said first thread is disengaged from said thread segments of said locking elements when said locking elements are positioned in said unlocked position to allow variable adjustment of said connection portion to a select axial position relative to said coupling member;
• and
• wherein said first thread is engaged with said thread segments of said locking elements when said locking elements are positioned in said locked position to lock said connection portion in said select axial position relative to said coupling member;
• and
• wherein rotational displacement of said connection portion relative to said coupling member threadingly engages said first thread with said thread segments of said locking elements to provide relatively finer variable adjustment to said select axial position of said connection portion relative to said coupling member.

A quick attachment apparatus for use in association with orthopedic instrumentation or tools, comprising:

• a connection portion of a device;
• a coupling member defining a passage extending generally along a longitudinal axis and having an inner cross section sized to receive said connection portion of the device, said inner cross section of said passage including an inside surface;
• a locking member associated with said coupling member, said locking member including first and second locking elements, each of said locking elements including a portion contained within said passage in said coupling member, each of said locking elements defining at least one thread segment engagable with said first thread, said locking elements transitionable between a locked position and an unlocked position, said first and second locking elements displaced in opposite directions along said transverse axis upon application of lateral forces to transition said locking elements toward said unlocked position;
• a first biasing member engaged between said inside surface of said passage in said coupling member and said portion of said first locking element within said passage to bias said first locking element toward said locked position, and a second biasing member engaged between said inside surface of said passage in said coupling member and said portion of said second locking element within said passage to bias said second locking element toward said locked position, wherein each of said first and second biasing members comprises a spring, said spring being transitioned to a compressed state as a corresponding one of said locking elements is transitioned to said unlocked position upon application of said lateral force onto said corresponding one of said locking elements and exerts a biasing force onto said corresponding one of said locking elements to bias said corresponding one of said locking elements back toward said locked position;
• and
• wherein said first thread is disengaged from said thread segments of said locking elements when said locking elements are positioned in said unlocked position to allow variable adjustment of said connection portion to a select axial position relative to said coupling member;
• and
• wherein said first thread is engaged with said thread segments of said locking elements when said locking elements are positioned in said locked position to lock said connection portion in said select axial position relative to said coupling member;
• and
• wherein rotational displacement of said connection portion relative to said coupling member threadingly engages said first thread with said thread segments of said locking elements to provide relatively finer variable adjustment to said select axial position of said connection portion relative to said coupling member;
• and
• wherein said spring includes end portions that are interconnected with one another to define an annular ring extending about at least a portion of said corresponding one of said locking elements.