Drill guide and method of manufacture thereof
Inventors
Cheney, Daniel F. • Knight, Adam T. • Ritz, Joseph P.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9821378-B2
Publication Date
2017-11-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
A drill guide includes a shaft, a drill guide assembly securable to the shaft, and a first drill guide insert. The drill guide assembly includes a first drill guide body defining a receiving passage, a locking member, and terminating in a first grasping projection that flexes between open and closed positions. The first drill guide insert installs in the receiving passage and includes a bore, a grasping projection displacement surface, a locking groove, and a key member. The grasping projection displacement surface moves the first grasping projection from its closed position to its open position during installation of the first drill guide insert. Upon installation, the locking groove receives the first grasping projection to lock the first drill guide insert in the first drill guide body, and the key member engages the locking member to prevent rotation of the first drill guide insert within the first drill guide body.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an orthopedic drill guide that includes a drill guide body defining a receiving passage and a drill guide insert with a bore. The drill guide body terminates in a first grasping projection adapted for flexing between an open position and a closed position, and the drill guide insert includes a grasping projection displacement surface and a locking groove disposed at a distal end.
During initial insertion, the grasping projection displacement surface engages and moves the first grasping projection from its closed position to its open position. Upon continued insertion, the grasping projection displacement surface disengages such that the first grasping projection moves from its open position to its closed position, and the first grasping projection engages the locking groove to prevent the first drill guide insert from being pushed through or pulled out of the receiving passage.
The insert further includes a key member disposed at a proximal end, wherein the key member comprises individual surfaces adapted to engage individual surfaces of a locking member of the first drill guide body upon insertion. Engagement of the individual surfaces of the key member and the locking member prevents rotation of the first drill guide insert within the receiving passage, and the drill guide assembly can include multiple drill guide bodies connected by a platform that spaces receiving passages to match inter-leg spacing of an implant between open insertion and closed implanted positions, including implants with shape memory material.
Claims Coverage
The provided content identifies one independent claim (clm-00001). It covers two inventive features: automatic locking of a flexing grasping projection and anti-rotation engagement by a key member and locking member.
Automatically locking a flexing grasping projection during insert insertion
A drill guide insert defines a bore and is adapted for insertion into a receiving passage of a first drill guide body, wherein the first drill guide body terminates in a first grasping projection adapted for flexing between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the first drill guide insert includes a grasping projection displacement surface adapted to engage and move the first grasping projection from its closed position to its open position during initial insertion, and a locking groove disposed at a distal end of the first drill guide insert, the locking groove being adapted to receive therein the first grasping projection, wherein upon continued insertion the grasping projection displacement surface disengages such that the first grasping projection moves from its open position to its closed position, and wherein the first grasping projection engages the locking groove thereby preventing the first drill guide insert from being pushed through or pulled out of the receiving passage.
Key member and locking member anti-rotation via individual surfaces
A drill guide insert further includes a key member disposed at a proximal end, the key member comprising individual surfaces adapted to engage the individual surfaces of the locking member of the first drill guide body upon insertion of the first drill guide insert into the receiving passage, wherein engagement of the individual surfaces of the key member and the locking member prevents rotation of the first drill guide insert within the receiving passage.
The independent claim focuses on an insert-based mechanism that uses a grasping projection displacement surface and a distal locking groove to automatically move and lock a flexing grasping projection to resist push-through and pull-out, combined with a proximal key member that engages a locking member to prevent rotation within the receiving passage.
Stated Advantages
Prevents the first drill guide insert from being pushed through or pulled out of the receiving passage of the first drill guide body.
Prevents rotation of the first drill guide insert within the receiving passage of the first drill guide body.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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