Ratcheting torque wrench
AssigneeCustom Spine, Inc.
InventorMahmoud F. Abdelgany
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and assembly for tightening a locking element in an orthopedic implant comprises a ratcheting mechanism that includes a shaft portion and a sleeve portion operatively connected over the shaft portion. The assembly further includes a first handle or wrench operatively connected to the shaft portion and a second handle or wrench operatively connected to the sleeve portion. The method comprises aligning the ratcheting mechanism over the orthopedic implant; operatively connecting the first wrench to the shaft portion; operatively connecting the second wrench to the sleeve portion; rotating the second wrench counter-clockwise to establish a position for leverage; holding the first wrench in a firm position; and rotating the second wrench clockwise while the first wrench is held in the firm position.
Claims18
A method of tightening a locking element in an orthopedic implant, said method comprising:
- aligning a ratcheting mechanism over said orthopedic implant, wherein said ratcheting mechanism comprises a shaft portion and a sleeve portion positioned completely around said shaft portion;
- operatively connecting a first wrench to said shaft portion;
- directly connecting a second wrench to said sleeve portion;
- rotating said second wrench counter-clockwise to establish a position for leverage;
- holding said first wrench in a firm position;
- and
- rotating said second wrench clockwise while said first wrench is held in said firm position
- wherein in the aligning process said shaft portion of said ratcheting mechanism is a torsional shaft, wherein said sleeve portion fits over said torsional shaft, wherein said first wrench comprises a torque wrench, wherein said second wrench comprises a counter-torque wrench, and wherein said ratcheting mechanism further comprises:
- a sleeve dial having a centrally located hole, wherein said sleeve dial fits around said sleeve portion such that the diameter of the sleeve dial hole accommodates said sleeve portion;
- and
- a shaft dial operatively connected to said sleeve dial.
A method of tightening a locking element in an orthopedic implant, said method comprising:
- aligning a ratcheting mechanism over said orthopedic implant, wherein said ratcheting mechanism comprises:
- a shaft portion;
- a sleeve portion positioned completely around and directly contacting said shaft portion;
- a sleeve dial having a centrally located hole, wherein said sleeve dial fits around said sleeve portion such that the diameter of the sleeve dial hole accommodates said sleeve portion;
- and
- a shaft dial operatively connected to said sleeve dial;
- operatively connecting a first handle to said shaft portion;
- directly connecting a second handle to said sleeve portion;
- rotating said second handle in a first direction to establish a position for leverage;
- holding said first handle in a firm position;
- and
- rotating said second handle in a second direction opposite to said first direction while said first handle is held in said firm position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.