Bone plate with movable joint

• US 10,159,515 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acumed Llc (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Acumed Llc (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ehmke, Larry W., Conley, Brian R., Seykora, Andrew W., Hutton, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Olivia C
• Application Number:
  US14/792,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20160000481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/80 Cortical plates , i.e. bone plates; Instruments for holding or positioning cortical plates, or for compressing bones attached to cortical plates
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8004 with means for distracting or compressing the bone or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8009 the plate having a ratchet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8023 Variable length plates adjustable in both directions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8057 the interlocking form comprising a thread
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8061 specially adapted for particular bones A61B17/70 and A61B17/74 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/808 Instruments for holding or positioning bone plates, or for adjusting screw-to-plate locking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8085 with pliable or malleable elements or having a mesh-like structure, e.g. small strips A61B17/8071, A61B17/8076 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8863 Apparatus for shaping or cutting osteosynthesis equipment by medical personnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/567 Joint mechanisms or joint supports in addition to the natural joints and outside the joint gaps

Abstract

System, including methods and devices, for fixing bone. The system may include a bone plate having two or more plate members connected to one another with one or more movable joints. Each joint may permit the orientation of the plate members to be adjusted relative to one another in a single plane or two or more nonparallel planes. The joint may have a movable configuration and a fixed configuration. Methods of creating the bone plate are also provided.

Claims

1. A bone plate for fixing bone, comprising:

a first plate member and a second plate member respectively defining a first aperture and a second aperture, each plate member also defining one or more through-holes configured to receive one or more fasteners to attach the plate member to bone, wherein the first plate member and the second plate member respectively include a first plurality and a second plurality of mating features that connect the plate members to one another for rotation about a pivot axis extending through the first and second apertures, wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of mating features form a pair of interface regions that are distinct and spaced from one another along the bone plate, wherein each interface region of the pair of interface regions restricts translational separation of the plate members from one another parallel to the pivot axis, wherein one of the interface regions is formed by an edge of the first plate member received in an arcuate channel of the second plate member, and wherein the other interface region is formed by an edge of the second plate member received in an arcuate channel of the first plate member, wherein the bone plate has a width where the plate members overlap one another, and wherein a distance between at least one interface region of the pair of interface regions and the pivot axis is greater than one-half the width of the bone plate.

2. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein the pair of interface regions are a first interface region and a second interface region, wherein the first plurality and the second plurality of mating features also form a third interface region located intermediate and spaced from the first and second interface regions and formed by a protrusion of one of the plate members received in a recess defined by the other of the plate members, and wherein the third interface region restricts translational separation of the plate members from one another orthogonal to the pivot axis.

3. The bone plate of claim 2, and wherein the pivot axis extends through the third interface region.

4. The bone plate of claim 1, further comprising a lock screw configured to fix an orientation of the first plate member and the second plate member relative to one another about the pivot axis.

5. The bone plate of claim 1, wherein each plate member is only one piece.

6. The bone plate of claim 1, further comprising:

a lock screw located on the pivot axis and connected to at least one of the plate members, the lock screw being configured to fix an orientation of the first plate member and the second plate member relative to one another about the pivot axis;

wherein the first plate member and the second plate member are permanently connected to one another independently of the lock screw.

7. The bone plate of claim 1, further comprising a pin attached to one of the plate members and extending into a slot defined by the other of the plate members, wherein the pin and the slot define a permitted range of rotation of the plate members relative to one another about the pivot axis.

8. The bone plate of claim 4, wherein the lock screw is configured to project from a bottom side of the bone plate and to enter underlying bone.