Readjustable locking plate hole

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9855082-B2
Application number	US-77430810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2010
Priority date	May 12, 2009
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A bone plate comprises a locking hole extending through the bone plate from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof. The locking hole is threaded and sized and shaped to lockingly receive a correspondingly threaded head of a bone fixation element therethrough. The bone plate further comprises a first plate relief extending at least partially through a thickness of the plate and separated from the locking hole to define a first weakened portion of the bone plate. The first plate relief extends around a portion of a circumference of the locking hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A monolithic bone plate body, comprising:
a locking hole extending through the plate body from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof, the locking hole being threaded and sized and shaped to lockingly receive a correspondingly threaded head of a bone fixation element therethrough, wherein the locking hole is threaded and substantially conical with a diameter thereof at the top surface greater than a diameter thereof at the bottom surface; and
a first plate relief comprising at least a portion having an arced shape, the first plate relief extending at least partially through a thickness of the plate body and separated from the locking hole to define a first weakened portion of the plate body, the arced portion extending around at least half of a circumference of the locking hole and less than all of the circumference of the locking hole.

2. The plate body of claim 1 , wherein the first plate relief extends through the plate body to open to the top surface and the bottom surface.

3. The plate body of claim 2 , wherein the first plate relief extends around a portion of a circumference of the locking hole so that a portion of the plate body surrounding the locking hole is coupled to a remainder of the plate body only by a bridge portion separating ends of the first relief from one another, the bridge portion forming the first weakened portion.

4. The plate body of claim 1 , further comprising:
a slot extending from the locking hole to the first plate relief to define a direction of deflection of the locking hole.

5. The plate body of claim 1 , wherein the locking hole includes a gap in a circumference thereof.

6. The plate body of claim 1 , wherein the arced portion of the first plate relief extends along a portion of a circle substantially concentric with the locking hole.

7. A monolithic bone plate body, comprising:
a locking hole extending through the plate body from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof, the locking hole being threaded and sized and shaped to lockingly receive a correspondingly threaded head of a bone fixation element, wherein the locking hole is threaded and substantially conical with a diameter thereof at the top surface greater than a diameter thereof at the bottom surface; and
a first plate relief comprising at least a portion having an arced shape, the first plate relief extending at least partially through a thickness of the plate body and separated from the locking hole by a portion of the material of the plate body, the first plate relief defining a first weakened portion of the plate body, the arced portion extending around at least half of a circumference of the locking hole and less than all of the circumference of the locking hole.

8. The plate body of claim 7 , wherein the first plate relief extends through the plate body to open to the top surface and the bottom surface.

9. The plate body of claim 8 , wherein the first plate relief extends around a portion of a circumference of the locking hole so that a portion of the plate body surrounding the locking hole is coupled to a remainder of the plate body only by a bridge portion separating ends of the first relief from one another, the bridge portion forming the first weakened portion.

10. The plate body of claim 7 , further comprising:
a slot extending from the locking hole to the first plate relief to define a direction of deflection of the locking hole.

11. The plate body of claim 7 , wherein the locking hole includes a gap in a circumference thereof.

12. The plate body of claim 7 , wherein the arced portion of the first plate relief extends along a portion of a circle substantially concentric with the locking hole.

Assignees

• Hulliger Urs
• Overes Tom
• Depuy Synthes Products Inc

Inventors

• Hulliger Urs
• Overes Tom

Classifications

• A61B17/8085

  with pliable or malleable elements or having a mesh-like structure, e.g. small strips (A61B17/8071, A61B17/8076 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/8057

  the interlocking form comprising a thread · CPC title

• A61B17/8047 Primary

  wherein the additional element surrounds the screw head in the plate hole (A61B17/8052 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10S623/911

  Bone · CPC title

• A61B2017/868

  self-locking due to part of nut being deformed upon tightening · CPC title