Fastener cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10286532-B2
Application number	US-201615274221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A fastener cartridge can be used with a shaft of a tool during an orthopedic procedure. The fastener cartridge can have a main housing that can be attached to fastener housing including a fastener chamber and a backstop component. The fastener chamber includes a plurality of non-flexible tabs and the backstop component includes a plurality of resiliently flexible tabs. The fastener housing is configured to include a plurality of fasteners that are arranged therein such that the longitudinal axes of the fastener chamber and the plurality of fasteners are collinear. The plurality non-flexible tabs prevent one of the fasteners from inadvertently passing entirely out of an outlet of the fastener chamber and the plurality of resiliently flexible tabs allow the fasteners to move axially in the first direction and restrict movement of the fasteners in a second direction opposite the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fastener cartridge, comprising:
a main housing extending from a first end to a second end, the main housing defining an opening extending from the first end to the second end and a locking aperture extending from an external surface to the opening;
a drive clip positioned around the main housing, the drive clip including a base, an elongated leg extending from the base, and a projection extending from the elongated leg;
a fastener housing including a fastener chamber including a plurality of non-flexible tabs and a backstop component including a plurality of resiliently flexible tabs, wherein the fastener housing is configured to include a plurality of fasteners that are arranged therein such that the longitudinal axes of the fastener chamber and the plurality of fasteners are collinear; and
a locking sleeve configured to move along the main housing and couple the fastener cartridge to a shaft of a tool.

2. The fastener cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the locking sleeve is configured to move between a first position, corresponding to an unlocked position, and a second position, corresponding to a locked position.

3. The fastener cartridge of claim 2 , wherein, in the first position, the locking sleeve is engaged with the fastener chamber at a first location along the fastener chamber and the projection of the drive clip is positioned within the locking aperture but not within the opening defined by the main housing.

4. The fastener cartridge of claim 1 , wherein, transitioning from the first position to the second position, the locking sleeve is disengaged from the fastener chamber and moved along the main housing toward the first end of the main housing until the locking sleeve is engaged with the fastener chamber at a second location along the fastener chamber, the second location closer to the first end of the main housing as compared to the first location.

5. The fastener cartridge of claim 4 , wherein, at the second position, the elongated leg collapses against the main body forcing the projection of the drive clip to extend through the locking aperture and into the opening defined by the main housing.

6. The fastener cartridge of claim 1 , further including:
a plunger disposed within and axially movable within the main housing and the fastener housing; and
a spring biasing the plunger in a first direction into contact with one of the fasteners and urging the plunger toward an outlet of the fastener chamber at a distal end of the fastener chamber farthest from the spring.

7. The fastener cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of resiliently flexible tabs allow the plunger and fasteners to move axially in the first direction and restrict movement of the fasteners in a second direction opposite the first direction.

8. The fastener cartridge of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the fastener chamber is shaped to prevent relative rotation between the fasteners and the fastener chamber and to allow the fasteners to move therein along the longitudinal axes in response to axial movement of the plunger relative to the body.

9. The fastener cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of resiliently flexible tabs are configured to transition from a first at-rest position to a second flexed position by flexing outward away from the longitudinal axes to allow the fasteners to move axially in the first direction.

10. The fastener cartridge of claim 9 , wherein, at the first at-rest position, the resiliently flexible tabs are configured to interfere with a head of one of the fasteners to restrict movement of the fasteners in the second direction.

11. A system, comprising:
a fastener cartridge, including:
a main housing defining an opening that extends from a first end of the main body to a second end of the main housing;
a drive clip positioned around the main housing, the drive clip including a projection configured to engage with a shaft of a tool;
a fastener housing, including:
a fastener chamber including a plurality of non-flexible tabs; and
a backstop component including a plurality of resiliently flexible tabs, wherein the fastener housing is configured to include a plurality of fasteners that are arranged therein such that the longitudinal axes of the fastener chamber and the plurality of fasteners are collinear; and
a locking sleeve configured move along the main housing between a first position, corresponding to an unlocked position, and a second position, corresponding to a locked position, wherein, at the locked position, the projection engages with the shaft to couple the fastener cartridge to the tool.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the fastener cartridge further includes:
a plunger disposed within axially movably within the main housing and the fastener housing;
a spring biasing the plunger in a first direction into contact with one of the fasteners and urging the plunger toward an outlet of the fastener chamber at a distal end of the fastener chamber farthest from the spring.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of fasteners includes:
a threaded shaft; and
a head disposed at an end of the threaded shaft and including a plurality of lobes and a plurality of recesses each disposed between adjacent lobes and each partially defined by one of a deformable lip extending radially outward and a ramped surface.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of non-flexible tabs are each configured to engage one of the deformable lip and ramped surface of one of the fasteners to prevent the one of the fasteners from inadvertently passing entirely out of the outlet, the non-flexible tabs configured to deform one of the deformable lip and the ramped surface of the one of the fasteners to release the one of the fasteners from the fastener chamber in response to an applied force by a user.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of resiliently flexible tabs are configured to transition from a first at-rest position to a second flexed position by flexing outward away from the longitudinal axes to allow the fasteners to move axially in the first direction, and wherein, at the first at-rest position, the resiliently flexible tabs are configured to interfere with a head of one of the fasteners to restrict movement of the fasteners in the second direction.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the shaft of the tool includes a groove, and wherein, at the locked position, the projection of the drive clip extends into the groove of the shaft.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein, when the fastener cartridge is coupled to the shaft, the shaft is axially and rotationally fixed with respect to the fastener cartridge.

Assignees

• Zimmer Biomet Cmf & Thoracic Llc

Inventors

• Garcia Saddy
• Licht James
• Tonkinson Myles
• Suarez Kerwin
• Chadwell Lawrence Jene
• Luby Ryan
• Ussin Nicolai
• Hale Rachel
• Lamothe Brian

Classifications

• B25B23/065 Primary

  the magazine being coaxial with the tool axis · CPC title

• A61B17/8891

  at its periphery · CPC title

• A61B17/865

  Packages or dispensers for bone screws or threaded wires · CPC title

• A61B2017/0648

  threaded, e.g. tacks with a screw thread · CPC title

• A61B17/068

  Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00}) · CPC title