U.S. patent application number 16/571916 was filed with the patent office on 2020-01-09 for universal bone screw screwdriver.
The applicant listed for this patent is David B. Plotkin. Invention is credited to David B. Plotkin.
Application Number | 20200008854 16/571916 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60675147 |
Filed Date | 2020-01-09 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200008854 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Plotkin; David B. |
January 9, 2020 |
UNIVERSAL BONE SCREW SCREWDRIVER
Abstract
The instant invention is directed to a universal bone screw
screwdriver and in particular to a universal screwdriver that
permits the removal of screws from bone plates that are
manufactured by different manufacturers having distinct
characteristics. The universal bone screw screwdriver is adapted to
removeably receive an elongated tool bit. The elongated tool bits
correspond to the screw heads of different manufacturers and
comprises a torque limiting and locking spring assembly to secure
the elongated tool bit to the driver shaft and inhibit
over-tightening of the bone screw into the bone or bone plate as
the case may be.
Inventors: |
Plotkin; David B.; (Short
Hills, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Plotkin; David B. |
Short Hills |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
60675147 |
Appl. No.: |
16/571916 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15700774 |
Sep 11, 2017 |
10413345 |
|
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16571916 |
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|
|
14827929 |
Aug 17, 2015 |
9757175 |
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15700774 |
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|
|
|
13295738 |
Nov 14, 2011 |
9107721 |
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14827929 |
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61456746 |
Nov 12, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25B 23/0042 20130101;
A61B 2017/00407 20130101; B25B 23/141 20130101; B25B 15/005
20130101; A61B 17/8875 20130101; A61B 2017/00464 20130101; A61B
2090/031 20160201; B25G 1/105 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61B 17/88 20060101
A61B017/88; B25B 15/00 20060101 B25B015/00; B25B 23/00 20060101
B25B023/00; B25B 23/14 20060101 B25B023/14; B25G 1/10 20060101
B25G001/10 |
Claims
1. An orthopedic universal screwdriver comprising: a handle adapted
to receive an elongated tool bit; a recess disposed in said handle;
and a torque limiting and locking spring removeably attachable to
the handle via said recess for engaging the elongated tool bit with
said handle, wherein the torque limiting and locking spring further
comprises at least two arms, wherein the first arm has a flat inner
surface constructed and arranged to interface with the elongated
tool bit when engaged therewith and a second arm that has at least
two U-shaped surfaces constructed and arranged to interface with
the handle when engaged therewith.
2. The orthopedic universal screwdriver of claim 1, wherein the
torque limiting and locking spring is capable of preventing over
tightening of the bone screw.
3. The orthopedic universal screwdriver of claim 1, further
comprising; a flat surface on the elongated tool bit and configured
to align with the recess when said elongated tool bit is inserted
into said handle and said torque limiting and locking spring being
constructed to engage the flat surface on the elongated tool bit.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 15/700,774, issued as 10,413,345 on Sep. 17, 2019, which is a
Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
14/827,929, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,757,175 on Sep. 12, 2017,
which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
13/295,738, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,107,721 on Aug. 18, 2015, and
also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
61/456,746 filed Nov. 12, 2010, entitled UNIVERSAL BONE SCREW
SCREWDRIVER, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein
by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The embodiments of the present invention relate to a
universal bone screw screwdriver for use with interchangeable tool
bits made by different screw and bone plate manufacturers. More
specifically, the invention relates to a universal bone screw
screwdriver that allows for a user to select the tool bit that is
compatible with the screw that the user is trying to manipulate and
further can prevent the user from over-tightening the screw in the
bone or the bone plate.
Description of Related Art
[0003] Heretofore, use of bone screws and bone plates have become a
significant aide in the treatment of bone fracture repair. There
are numerous manufacturers that supply the plates and bone screws
to hospitals and other surgical centers to permit open reduction
internal fixation. Although the efficacy of the bone plates and
bone screws has been established as a standard of care over many
years, certain problems have arisen regarding the after care that
may occur with respect thereto. For example, when a patient that
has an open reduction internal fixation procedure performed and is
suddenly brought to an emergency room for treatment, it is
incumbent upon the hospital or treatment facility to have an
inventory of each of the screwdrivers necessary to remove each
company's particular screws. Because each company uses different
types of screws, it is not assured that the hospital or treatment
facility will have the correct screwdriver. Further, even if the
appropriate screwdriver is available, it is not assured that there
will be time to sterilize the screwdriver for several hours as is
required by emergency room protocol.
[0004] Accordingly, a universal screwdriver that is suitable for
use with the screw heads of each manufacturer of screw and bone
plates is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a
universal screwdriver capable of removing screws made by different
bone screw and plate manufacturers is provided. A driver shaft is
adapted to receive interchangeable tool bits that are suitable for
use with the screw heads of different manufacturers. A recess is
disposed in the driver shaft for receiving a torque limiting spring
which will secure the tool bit in the shaft. The torque limiting
spring is removable and hence, permits the tool bit to be
replaceably removed from the shaft and further, when the tool bit
is disposed in the driver shaft the torque limiting spring inhibits
over tightening of the bone screws.
[0006] A second embodiment of the present invention comprises an
elongated tool bit that is suitable to for use with the screw heads
of different manufacturers. A recess is disposed along the handle
for receiving a torque-limiting spring which will secure the
elongated tool bit to the handle. The torque limiting spring is
removable and hence, permits the elongated tool bit to be
replaceably removed from the handle and further, when in use, the
torque limiting spring inhibits over tightening of the bone screws.
The elongated tool bit may be hollow to allow the screwdriver to be
used in conjunction with Kershner wires and cannulated screws.
[0007] A third embodiment of the present invention comprises an
elongated tool bit that is suitable to for use with the screw heads
of different manufacturers. A recess is disposed along the handle
or the shaft for receiving a torque-limiting spring which will
secure the elongated tool bit to the handle or the shaft. The
torque limiting spring can include a two piece assembly that is
removable and hence, permits the elongated tool bit to be
replaceably removed from the handle or the shaft and further, when
in use, the torque limiting spring inhibits over tightening of the
bone screws.
[0008] Accordingly, an object of the instant invention is to
provide an improved universal screwdriver for use with the bone
screws of many companies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In the drawing figures, which are merely illustrative, and
wherein like reference characters denote similar elements
throughout the several views:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the universal screwdriver
constructed with a preferred embodiment of an embodiment of the
instant invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the driver shaft and tool
bit interface constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the
instant invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the driver shaft, tool bit and
torque limiting spring constructed in accordance with an embodiment
of the instant invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the tool bit visible through
the recess;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the driver shaft securing a
tool bit using the torque limiting spring in accordance with an
embodiment of the instant invention;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the
torque limiting spring is connected to the driver shaft and is used
to inhibit over-tightening of the screw in accordance with an
embodiment of the instant invention;
[0016] FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a torque limiting spring to
be used in accordance with an embodiment of the instant
invention;
[0017] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the driver shaft, tool bit and
torque limiting spring in the "lock position" constructed in
accordance an embodiment of the instant invention;
[0018] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the driver shaft, tool bit and
torque limiting spring in the "torque position" constructed in
accordance an embodiment of the instant invention;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the universal screwdriver
constructed as an embodiment of the instant invention;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of universal screwdriver
constructed as an embodiment of the instant invention;
[0021] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the universal screwdriver
constructed in accordance with annotated embodiment of the instant
invention;
[0022] FIG. 13 is an perspective view of a torque limiting spring
to be used in accordance with embodiment depicted in FIG. 12;
and
[0023] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the spring depicted in FIG.
13 in combination with universal screw driver depicted in FIG.
12.
[0024] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the torque limiting spring
depicted in FIG. 10 in combination with universal screw driver
depicted in FIG. 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
[0025] Generally speaking, in accordance with the instant
invention, a universal screwdriver generally indicated as 10 in
FIG. 1 is provided. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,
the universal screwdriver includes a handle 12, a driver shaft 14,
a tool bit 16, a recess 30 and a torque limiting spring 20. With
specific references to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the tool bit illustrated
therein is representative of the type of screws manufactured by
numerous different companies, such as Synthes, Ostiomed, Villex,
and Stryker as well as other orthopedic device manufacturers.
[0026] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the tool bit design will have a
unique configuration such as a cruciform or hexagram or other types
of configurations and each manufacturer has a tool bit
configuration that is unique to the company. These tool bit
configurations are designed to mate with a screw and hence, the
screwdrivers provided by each company are not suitable for use with
the screws of another company. Accordingly, tool bit 16 illustrated
in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, is by way of example only, and is not limiting
in any sense to the instant invention.
[0027] The driver shaft 14 is connected to the handle 12 as
depicted in FIG. 1. One of ordinary skill in the art would
appreciate the mechanism by which the driver shaft 14 is connected
to the handle.
[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a recess 30 is disposed on the
driver shaft 14 which can allow the inside of the driver shaft 14
to be externally visible. An elongated opening 22 extends through
the driver shaft 14. The shank of the tool bit 16 has a uniformed
cross-sectional dimension and is adapted to be received in the
opening 22. The shank of the tool bit is inserted into the opening
22 formed in driver shaft 14 and comes to rest at the thrust
bearing surface 26 inside the driver shaft 14 as shown in FIG. 5. A
slot 28, which includes a flat 29 (as shown in FIG. 4), is provided
in each of the tool bits and is brought into alignment with the
recess 30 formed in the each shaft on the tool bit. When the shaft
of the tool bit is inserted up, into and against the thrust bearing
surface 26 so that the tool bit is brought into alignment with the
recess 30 in the driver shaft 14, a locking mechanism can be
inserted to secure the tool bit within the driver shaft 14.
[0029] In one embodiment, the torque limiting spring 20 is the
locking mechanism to secure the tool bit into the driver shaft 14
as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4. One of ordinary skill in the art
would appreciate other methods by which the tool bit can be locked
into the driver shaft 14.
[0030] The preferred dimensions of the torque limiting spring are
depicted in FIG. 7, but by no means is limiting in any sense to the
instant invention. When the slot 28 of the tool bit is brought into
alignment with the recess 30, the torque limiting spring 20 is
inserted in the recess 30 to secure the tool bit 16 into the driver
shaft 14 and thereby preventing any actual displacement of the tool
bit. Removal of the spring to permit replacement of the tool bit is
provided by snapping the torque limiting spring 20 on or off
thereby permitting the tool bit to be easily removed or
attached.
[0031] Additionally, in this position, the torque limiting spring
20 will rest against the flat 29 during each rotation of the handle
12 and will inhibit the over-tightening of the screw in the bone or
in the plate as the case may be. When the tool bit 16 is engaged
with the screw, as the user rotates the handle 12, the tool bit 16
will encounter resistance from turning the screw into the bone or
bone plate. As torque is applied to the bone screw, the torque
limiting spring 20 will start to be lifted by the flat 29. When the
torque applied to the bone screw reaches the pre-set torque value
of the torque limiting spring 20, the torque limiting spring 20
will become disengaged from the flat 29. At this point, the driver
shaft 14 can continue to be rotated, but the tool bit 16 will have
ceased rotating, thus inhibiting a user from over-tightening a
screw into the bone or bone plate. The user can select the desired
torque limitation by utilizing a torque limiting spring 20 that
conforms to the user's needs.
[0032] In one embodiment, the torque limiting spring 20 comprises a
flat arm 21 flexibly connected on one end to a semicircular arm 23
as depicted in FIG. 7. In another embodiment, the torque limiting
spring 20 further comprises a notch 25 on the interior surface
where the flat arm 23 is flexibly connected to the semicircular arm
25 as depicted in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6.
[0033] In another embodiment, a flush hole 24 may be disposed on
the driver shaft 14. The flush hole 24 extends into the thrust
bearing surface 26. When a flush hole 24 is provided, the thrust
bearing surface 26 does not extend through the entire diameter of
the driver shaft 14. Rather the thrust bearing surface 26 extends
perpendicularly to the wall of the driver shaft 14 such that the
area behind the tool bit 16 is accessible. In this manner, the
flush hole 24 permits the area that receives the shaft of the tool
bit 16 to be easily autoclaved and cleaned and any bone debris can
be removed between usages.
[0034] In another embodiment, with like numerals used to reference
like elements in the embodiments described above, a universal
screwdriver generally indicated as 10' in FIGS. 10-11 is provided.
In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 10, 11 and 15, the universal
screwdriver includes a handle 12', an elongated tool bit 31, a
recess 30', and a torque limiting and locking spring 20'. The
elongated tool bit 31 is adapted to engage with interchangeable
bone screws. The elongated tool bit 31 can either be composed of a
single piece that extends into the handle as shown in FIG. 11, or
optionally composed of two separated pieces, a driver shaft 16 and
a tool bit 14, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. Multiple elongated tool bits
are provided, each having different tips to engage with different
configurations of bone screws.
[0035] A recess 30' is disposed along the handle 12' such that the
inside of the handle is externally visible. An elongated opening
22' extends through the handle 12'. The elongated tool bit 31 is
adapted to be received in the opening 22'. The elongated tool bit
31 is inserted into the opening 22' and comes to rest at the thrust
bearing surface 26' inside the handle 12' as shown in FIG. 11.
[0036] A slot 28', which includes a flat surface 29' (as shown in
FIG. 11), is provided in each of the elongated tool bits 31 and is
brought into alignment with the recess 30' formed the handle 12'.
The slot 28' formed by the flat surface 29' is axially positioned
on the elongated tool bit so that when the elongated tool bit 31 is
inserted up, into and in abutment to the thrust bearing surface
26', slot 28' of the elongated tool bit 31 is brought into
alignment with the recess 30' in the handle 12'. Thus, a spring 20'
can be inserted to secure the elongated tool bit 31 within the
handle 12'.
[0037] When the slot 28' of the elongated tool bit 31 is brought
into alignment with the recess 30', the spring 20' is inserted into
the recess 30' to secure the elongated tool bit 31 into the handle
12' and thereby prevent any actual displacement of the elongated
tool bit. Removal of the spring to permit replacement of the
elongated tool bit is provided by snapping the spring 20' on or off
thereby permitting the elongated tool bit to be easily removed
and/or attached. It should be noted that the torque limiting spring
20 can be used as an alternative to the spring 20' in this
embodiment of the instant invention, without departing from the
scope of the invention.
[0038] Additionally, in this position, the spring 20' will rest
against the flat surface 29' during each rotation of the handle
12'. The spring 20' comprises at least a first arm having first and
second opening (27 and 28) and a flat arm 21'. The spring 20' also
comprises a notch 25' where the first arm and the flat arm meet. A
first opening 27 of the spring 20' may be designed such that it
will not disengage from the elongated tool bit 31, regardless of
the amount of torque applied to the screwdriver. That is, the user
can impart unrestricted torque to the universal screwdriver in the
"lock" position of the spring 20' without spring 20' being
displaced when used in the position as shown in FIG. 8.
Alternatively, the first opening 27 is designed in such a way that
it will only disengage from the spring 20' after a sufficient
amount of torque is applied to the screwdriver 10'.
[0039] Similarly, the second opening 28 is designed such that the
spring 20' will disengage from the elongated tool bit 31 after a
sufficient amount of torque is applied to the screwdriver 10' in
use. When the universal screwdriver 10' is assembled and the spring
20' is positioned such that the second opening 28 engages the
elongated tool bit 31 as shown in FIG. 9, as the user applies
torque to the screwdriver, the elongated tool bit 31 will encounter
resistance. When such resistance exceeds the pre-set torque value
of the torque limited spring 20', the spring 20'will become
disengaged, and accordingly the screwdriver 10' will no longer be
able to impart force on the elongated tool bit 31. Accordingly, the
handle 12' can continue to be rotated, but the elongated tool bit
31 will have ceased rotating, thus inhibiting a user from
over-tightening a screw into the bone or bone plate. The user can
select the desired torque limitation by utilizing a spring 20' that
conforms to the user's needs.
[0040] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the elongated
tool bit 31 may be hollow along the longitudinal axis in order to
accept a Kershner wire, or the like, along such longitudinal axis
and create a continuous channel with a cannulated screw.
[0041] It should be noted that the spring 20 or 20' could be
located at any position along the elongated tool bit 31 depicted in
FIGS. 9-11 without departing from the scope of invention.
[0042] Reference is also made to FIGS. 12 thru 14, the torque
limiting spring, generally indicated as 50 that can be used in
combination with each of the embodiments described herein is
depicted. The spring assembly 50 includes a metal C-shaped torque
limiting spring 52, and a plastic insert 51 that facilitates
positioning spring assembly into a shaft or handle in the manner
depicted in FIG. 12. The torque limiting spring is otherwise
intended to operate in the same manner as the springs depicted in
FIGS. 1 thru 11.
[0043] Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed
out novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred
embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions
and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the
disclosed invention may be made by those skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention,
therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the
claims appended hereto.
[0044] It is also to be understood that the following claims are
intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the
invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the
invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall
there between. In particular, this invention should not be
construed as being limited to the dimensions, proportions or
arrangements disclosed herein.
* * * * *