Headless compression screw driver system
Inventors
Rippe, Bradford H. • Govey, Peter • Gault, James • Davison, Andrew
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12478417-B2
Publication Date
2025-11-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
A compression screw driver system including a drive member having a shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end. A drive selection member is positioned about the shaft and is axially moveable along the shaft between an engagement position and a disengaged position. A distal portion of the drive selection member defines a first engagement structure. A compression sleeve is positioned over the distal end of the shaft. The proximal end of the compression sleeve defines a second engagement structure which complements the first engagement structure and the distal end of the compression sleeve defines a contact surface. In the engagement position the first and second engagement structures are engaged and the compression sleeve rotates with the drive member and in the disengaged position the first and second engagement structures are disengaged and the compression sleeve remains stationary while the drive member rotates.
Core Innovation
The invention describes a method of inserting and countersinking a headless compression screw with a single driver assembly. The driver includes a drive shaft having a drive tip adapted to be coupled to the headless compression screw, and a compression sleeve attached to the shaft and adapted to receive the headless compression screw. The compression sleeve has a distal end defining a bone contacting surface for compression of the bone.
The assembly includes a drive selector secured to the driver and manually selectable between a drive position and a countersink position. In the drive position, the driver rotationally locks with the compression sleeve so that advancing the headless compression screw into the bone generates interfragmentary compression via the bone contacting surface. The method then requires manually changing the driver selector to the countersink position while the compression sleeve is held.
In the countersink position, the drive selector rotationally unlocks the driver from the compression sleeve to allow countersinking of the headless compression screw into the bone. Prior to manually changing the driver selector, internal threading of the compression sleeve is threaded to external threading of the drive shaft to attach the compression sleeve to the drive shaft. The disclosed system associates countersinking with a selector-based rotational lock and unlock arrangement between the driver and the compression sleeve.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims covering a method of inserting and countersinking a headless compression screw with a single driver assembly using a manually selectable driver selector that rotationally locks in a drive position and rotationally unlocks in a countersink position.
Manually selectable rotational lock and unlock drive selector
A compression screw driver assembly includes a drive selector secured to the driver and manually selectable between a drive position that rotationally locks the driver with the compression sleeve and a countersink position that rotationally unlocks the driver from the compression sleeve, enabling advancement of the headless compression screw into bone and subsequent countersinking while holding the compression sleeve.
Compression sleeve bone contacting surface for compression
A compression sleeve is attached to the shaft and adapted to receive the headless compression screw, and a distal end of the compression sleeve defines a bone contacting surface for compression of the bone.
Threaded attachment of compression sleeve to drive shaft prior to selector change
Prior to manually changing the driver selector, an internal threading of the compression sleeve is threaded to an external threading of the drive shaft to attach the compression sleeve to the drive shaft.
Drive tip coupled drive feature for driving the headless compression screw
A driver includes a drive shaft having an external threading and a drive tip feature adapted to be coupled to a complementary drive feature of a headless compression screw for driving the screw into a bone.
The claims center on a single driver assembly that uses a manually selectable driver selector to rotationally lock the driver with the compression sleeve during advancement for compression, and to rotationally unlock the driver from the compression sleeve to allow countersinking while holding the compression sleeve, with one claim additionally requiring threaded attachment of the compression sleeve to the drive shaft prior to changing the selector.
Stated Advantages
Enables insertion and countersinking of a headless compression screw using a single driver assembly.
Allows insertion with compression and subsequent countersinking using a manually selectable rotational lock/unlock between the driver and the compression sleeve.
Documented Applications
Insertion and countersinking of a headless compression screw into bone using a single driver assembly with a manually selectable drive selector.
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