Lockable implants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9393123-B2
Application number	US-201313944606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2013
Priority date	Jul 17, 2012
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

Total joint replacements for implants include a first member configured to attach to a first bone, a second member configured to reside in an adjacent second bone and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is configured to (i) lock the first and second members in alignment for full extension or other defined stabilized configuration and (ii) unlock to allow the first and second members to pivot relative to each other for flexion or bending.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An implant, comprising:
a first member configured to attach to a first bone;
a second member in cooperating alignment with the first member and configured to reside in a second adjacent bone; and
an internal lock mechanism in communication with the first member and the second member and configured to selectively and reversibly, based on patient-user interaction with the internal lock mechanism after implantation, (i) lock the first member to the second member for a stabilized configuration to prevent them from pivoting relative to each other and (ii) unlock the first and second members to allow them to pivot relative to each other for at least one of flexion or bending, wherein the lock mechanism comprises at least one locking member that either (a) slides in defined directions in interior spaces of the first and second members or (b) slides in defined directions in interior spaces of the second member and a yoke held by the first member to lock and unlock the first and second members, and wherein the lock mechanism, the first member, and the second member are sized and configured as implantable components that are adapted to reside under skin of a patient's body.

2. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the lock mechanism has the configuration of (b) and is selectively actuated by a respective patient-user to lock and unlock the implant using an external magnet for the user interaction, wherein the magnet is configured to apply a magnetic field onto the internal lock mechanism to lock and unlock the first and second members.

3. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the lock mechanism is configured to be manually selectively actuated upon a contact force associated with a user physically pressing on an actuation member in communication with the lock mechanism, and wherein the actuation member also resides under the skin of the patient's body with the implant.

4. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant is a total joint replacement implant.

5. A lockable implant, comprising:
a first member configured to attach to a first bone;
a second member in cooperating alignment with the first member and configured to reside in a second adjacent bone; and
a lock mechanism in communication with the first and second members and configured to (i) lock the first member to the second member for a stabilized configuration to prevent them from pivoting relative to each other and (ii) unlock the first and second members to allow them to pivot relative to each other for at least one of flexion or bending,
wherein the lock mechanism, the first member and the second member, are all adapted to reside under skin of a patient, wherein the lock mechanism comprises at least one locking member that can slide in defined opposing directions in interior spaces of the first and second members to lock and unlock, respectively, the first and second members based on external user interaction with the lock mechanism after implantation.

6. The implant of claim 5 , wherein the lock mechanism is selectively actuated by a patient/user to lock and unlock the implant.

7. The implant of claim 5 , wherein the first member includes a yoke, and wherein the lock mechanism is configured to be manually selectively actuated upon a contact force associated with a user physically pressing on an actuation member in communication with the lock mechanism that resides under skin of the patient with the implant.

8. An implant, comprising:
a first member configured to attach to a first bone;
a second member in cooperating alignment with the first member and configured to reside in a second adjacent bone;
an internal lock mechanism in communication with the first member and the second member and comprises at least one locking member, wherein the internal lock mechanism is configured to selectively and reversibly (i) lock the first member to the second member for a stabilized configuration that prevents at least one of flexion or bending and (ii) unlock the first and second members to allow them to pivot relative to each other for at least one of flexion or bending; and a hinge and
assembly having an axle configured to hingedly attach the first member to the second member, wherein the hinge assembly comprises a yoke held by the first member and comprising an axle channel that holds the axle and a spaced apart lock channel, wherein the spaced apart lock channel of the yoke is an open channel that extends across the yoke, wherein the at least one locking member comprises first and second locking members that selectively slide in defined directions in the lock channel of the yoke to respectively lock and unlock the first and second members, and wherein, when locked, the first and second locking members extend into opposing ends of the lock channel of the yoke, and
wherein the lock mechanism, the hinge assembly, the first member, and the second member are sized and configured as implantable components that are adapted to reside under skin of a patient's body.

9. The implant of claim 8 , wherein the first member has a bearing surface defined by a polymer insert that holds the yoke and allows the second member to rotate about a flexion axis relative to the first member.

10. An implant, comprising:
a first member configured to attach to a first bone;
a second member in cooperating alignment with the first member and configured to reside in a second adjacent bone;
a hinge assembly having an axle configured to hingedly attach the first member to the second member, wherein the hinge assembly comprises a yoke that resides between the first and second members is held by the first member and has a laterally extending yoke axle channel and a laterally extending lock channel that is spaced apart from the yoke axle channel, wherein the second member comprises a lock channel with outer laterally extending interior spaces that reside on opposing ends of and can align with the laterally extending lock channel of the yoke; and
a lock mechanism in communication with the first member and the second member and configured to (i) lock the first member to the second member for a stabilized configuration that prevents at least one of flexion or bending and (ii) unlock the first and second members to allow them to pivot relative to each other for at least one of flexion or bending,
wherein the lock mechanism comprises first and second locking members that can slide in the interior spaces of the second member locking channel to enter and exit the laterally extending lock channel of the yoke to lock and unlock the implant.

11. The implant of claim 10 , wherein the second member comprises spaced apart and aligned laterally extending axle channels that reside on opposing ends of and can align with the laterally extending yoke axle channel so that the axle resides in the second member axle channels and the yoke axle channel.

12. An implant, comprising:
a first member configured to attach to a first bone;
a second member in cooperating alignment with the first member and configured to reside in a second adjacent bone; and
a lock mechanism in communication with the first member and the second member and configured to (i) lock the first member to the second member and (ii) unlock the first and second members to allow them to pivot relative to each other for at least one of flexion or bending,
wherein the lock mechanism comprises a magnet that slides to look and/or unlock in response to application of an external magnetic field.

13. An implant, comprising:
a first member configured to attach to a first bone;
a second member in cooperating alignment with the first member and configured to reside in a second adjacent bone;

Assignees

• Univ Clemson Res Foundation
• Univ South Carolina
• Chillag Kim John

Inventors

• Lucas Eric Montgomery
• Desjardins John David
• Chillag Kim John
• Voss Frank Richard

Classifications

• A61F2002/30668

  Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants · CPC title

• A61F2/3804

  for elbows · CPC title

• A61F2/384 Primary

  hinged, i.e. with transverse axle restricting the movement · CPC title

• A61F2002/30622

  Implant for fusing a joint or bone material · CPC title

• A61F2250/0006

  for adjusting angular orientation · CPC title