ORTHOPEDIC CONNECTIONS

• US 20140121713A1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zimmer Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meulink, Steven L., Conrad, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,136,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/316
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/863 with thread interrupted or changing its form along shank, other than constant taper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8685 comprising multiple separate parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3609 Femoral heads or necks; Connections of endoprosthetic heads or necks to endoprosthetic femoral shafts A61F2/3601 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30336 Stepped cones, i.e. having discrete diameter changes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30345 Multiple conical connection, i.e. the protrusion and recess having several tapered sections of different complementary conicities
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30349 the male and female complementary cones being of different conicities, i.e. for reducing the contact area
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30485 plastically deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30487 Circumferential cooperating grooves and beads on cooperating lateral surfaces of a mainly longitudinal connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/365 Connections of heads to necks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4037 Connections of heads to necks

Abstract

The present disclosure provides, in certain aspects, unique methods and systems for connecting orthopedic components. In some forms, a male-type projection of a first orthopedic component is securely lodged within a female-type aperture in a second orthopedic component. In one embodiment, the projection, while received through a proximal entryway in the aperture, includes a first longitudinal region with deformed surface elements that provide a first securing zone within the aperture and a second longitudinal region with deformed surface elements that provide a second securing zone within the aperture. The first securing zone is located proximate the distal end of the projection, and the second securing zone is located proximate the proximal entryway of the aperture.

Claims

1. A connecting assembly for connecting a plurality of orthopedic components, the connecting assembly comprising:

a male-type connecting member projecting from a first orthopedic component and having a general longitudinal axis; and

a female-type aperture situated in a second orthopedic component for receiving at least a portion of the male-type connecting member for connecting the first orthopedic component to the second orthopedic component,

wherein the male-type connecting member includes a distal longitudinal segment and a proximal longitudinal segment, wherein in a single reference plane that includes said general longitudinal axis the distal longitudinal segment extends in a linear fashion and the proximal longitudinal segment extends in a curvilinear fashion.

2. The connecting assembly of claim 1, wherein the first orthopedic component is a femoral neck and the second orthopedic component is a femoral head.

3. The connecting assembly of claim 1, wherein the proximal longitudinal segment includes one or more deformable surface elements.

4. The connecting assembly of claim 3, wherein the one or more deformable surface elements includes a plurality of discrete bumps.

5. The connecting assembly of claim 1, wherein the proximal longitudinal segment adjoins the distal longitudinal segment.

6. The connecting assembly of claim 1, wherein said curvilinear fashion has a constant radius.

7. The connecting assembly of claim 1, wherein said curvilinear fashion has a varying radius.

8. The connecting assembly of claim 1, wherein the proximal longitudinal segment is at least partially threaded.

9. The connecting assembly of claim 8, wherein said distal longitudinal segment is at least partially threaded.

10. The connecting assembly of claim 1, wherein two or more successive circumferential grooves extend over at least part of said proximal longitudinal segment and over at least part of said distal longitudinal segment.

11. A connecting assembly for connecting a plurality of orthopedic components, the connecting assembly comprising:

a male-type connecting member projecting from a first orthopedic component and having a general longitudinal axis; and

a female-type aperture situated in a second orthopedic component for receiving at least a portion of the male-type connecting member for connecting the first orthopedic component to the second orthopedic component,

wherein the male-type connecting member includes a continuously threaded longitudinal segment with a distal region and a proximal region, wherein in a single reference plane that includes said general longitudinal axis the distal region includes a first set of successive thread peaks extending in a linear fashion and a second set of successive thread peaks extending in a curvilinear fashion.

12. The connecting assembly of claim 11, wherein the male-type connecting member includes a non-threaded longitudinal segment located distally of said threaded longitudinal segment.

13. The connecting assembly of claim 11, wherein said first orthopedic component is a femoral neck component.

14. The connecting assembly of claim 11, wherein said curvilinear fashion has a constant radius.

15. An orthopedic connecting assembly, comprising:

a first orthopedic component, said first orthopedic component including a projection that comprises a generally tapered longitudinal segment; and

a second orthopedic component, said second orthopedic component including an aperture for receiving at least a portion of said generally tapered longitudinal segment for connecting the first orthopedic component to the second orthopedic component,

wherein said generally tapered longitudinal segment includes a first longitudinal region having deformable surface elements that extend substantially around said first longitudinal region, a second longitudinal region having deformable surface elements that extend substantially around said second longitudinal region, and an intermediate region located between said first longitudinal region and said second longitudinal region,

wherein the deformable surface elements of said first longitudinal region and the deformable surface elements of said second longitudinal region are deformable upon forcible contact with interior surfaces of said aperture for providing a first securing zone and a second securing zone, respectively, within the aperture when connecting the first orthopedic component to the second orthopedic component, with the intermediate region providing a non-securing zone within the aperture or a lesser-securing zone within the aperture relative to the first securing zone and the second securing zone.

16. The orthopedic connecting assembly of claim 15, wherein said first longitudinal region, said second longitudinal region, and said intermediate region all exhibit essentially the same degree of longitudinal taper.

17. The orthopedic connecting assembly of claim 15, wherein said intermediate region exhibits a lesser degree of longitudinal taper than at least one of said first longitudinal region and said second longitudinal region.

18. The orthopedic connecting assembly of claim 15, wherein said first longitudinal region and said second longitudinal region are generally cone-shaped.

19. The orthopedic connecting assembly of claim 15, wherein said intermediate region is at least 2 mm in length.

20. The orthopedic connecting assembly of claim 15, wherein said intermediate region is at least two times longer than at least one of said first longitudinal region and said second longitudinal region.