US 12,029,454 B2
Extended tab separation apparatus and method
Caleb Lee Stoll, Broomfield, CO (US); Randall G. Mast, Denver, CO (US); Allison Christine Capote, Boulder, CO (US); Heidi Farmer, Lafayette, CO (US); Guillaume Quetier, Lakewood, CO (US); and Daniel Burke, Thornton, CO (US)
Assigned to Zimmer Biomet Spine, Inc., Westminster, CO (US)
Filed by Zimmer Biomet Spine, Inc., Westminster, CO (US)
Filed on Jul. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/382,518.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/054,968, filed on Jul. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0022925 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/70 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/7091 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00477 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00876 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tool for breaking tabs of a vertebral bone anchor, the tool comprising:
a tip positionable over a housing of a vertebral bone anchor and first and second extended tabs joined to the vertebral bone anchor housing by first and second breakaway portions, respectively, and extending proximally away from opposing sides of an anchor slot of the vertebral bone anchor, the tip comprising a collar configured, during breakage of the first and second extended tabs, to at least substantially enclose opposing sides of the anchor slot of the vertebral bone anchor housing distally from the first and second breakaway portions;
a first rail pivotably coupled to the tip and extending proximally away from the tip, the first rail configured to receive the first extended tab therein, and the first rail pivotable with respect to the tip between a first upright position and a first outward position to break the first extended tab from the housing; and
a second rail pivotably coupled to the tip and extending proximally away from the tip, the second rail configured to receive the second extended tab therein, and the second rail pivotable with respect to the tip to between a second upright position and a second outward position to break the second extended tab from the housing.