Taper-locking fixation system
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- an implant shaped to replace a first portion of a first natural facet joint, the implant comprising a first facet articular surface;
an elongated member; and
a locking connector coupled to the implant, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or a position of the implant relative to the elongated member, the locking connector comprising;
a housing;
a collet receivable within the housing, the collet comprising a channel; and
a tapered wedge portion;
wherein the collet is radially expandable, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member in response to radial expansion of the collet by non-rotatable insertion of the tapered wedge portion into the channel of the collet,wherein the tapered wedge portion includes a channel for receiving the elongated member, andwherein a first end of the elongated member is polyaxially movable relative to a second end of the elongated member prior to the locking connector locking an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fixation system is designed to lock an elongated member within a housing member, permitting positional and/or orientational adjustment of the elongated member prior to locking. The system includes a housing member, a slotted spherical collet, an elongated member, and may include a tapered wedge, which may be a discrete component or formed as part of the elongated member. The housing member and/or elongated member may be implantable. The elongated member may be positioned in the wedge, the wedge in the collet, and the collet in the housing such that when compression force is applied to the wedge and the collet, the wedge contracts about the elongated member and the collet expands to engage the housing, thus locking the elongated member relative to the housing. The collet may have a tapered channel with a degree of taper equal to the tapered wedge. The collet may have multiple slots to allow uniform radial expansion and compression.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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an implant shaped to replace a first portion of a first natural facet joint, the implant comprising a first facet articular surface; an elongated member; and a locking connector coupled to the implant, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or a position of the implant relative to the elongated member, the locking connector comprising; a housing; a collet receivable within the housing, the collet comprising a channel; and a tapered wedge portion; wherein the collet is radially expandable, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member in response to radial expansion of the collet by non-rotatable insertion of the tapered wedge portion into the channel of the collet, wherein the tapered wedge portion includes a channel for receiving the elongated member, and wherein a first end of the elongated member is polyaxially movable relative to a second end of the elongated member prior to the locking connector locking an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An implantable locking connector, comprising:
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an elongated member formed of a biocompatible material; a housing; a tapered wedge portion; and a collet shaped to be received by the housing, the collet comprising a monolithic outer convex wall comprising a plurality of slots radially distributed about the outer convex wall to enable substantially uniform radial expansion of the collet; wherein the collet is radially expandable, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member in response to radial expansion of the collet by non-rotatable insertion of the tapered wedge portion into the collet, wherein the tapered wedge portion includes a channel for receiving the elongated member, and wherein a first end of the elongated member is polyaxially movable relative to a second end of the elongated member prior to the locking connector locking an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A system, comprising:
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a first anchor attachable to a first bone; a second anchor attachable to a second bone; an elongated member rigidly attachable to the first anchor; and a locking connector configured to couple the elongated member to the second anchor, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or a position of the second anchor relative to the elongated member, the locking connector comprising; a housing; a tapered wedge portion; and a collet receivable within the housing, the collet comprising a channel shaped to receive one of the tapered wedge portion and the second anchor; wherein the collet is radially expandable, wherein the locking connector is configured to lock an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the received elongated member or second anchor in response to radial expansion of the collet by non-rotatable insertion of the tapered wedge portion into the collet to substantially prevent motion of the first bone relative to the second bone, wherein the tapered wedge portion includes a channel for receiving the elongated member, and wherein a first end of the elongated member is polyaxially movable relative to a second end of the elongated member prior to the locking connector locking an orientation and/or position of the housing relative to the elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification