US 12,070,200 B2
Ring retractor system
Steve Nowak, Traverse City, MI (US); Travis Witulski, Traverse City, MI (US); and Christopher T. Martin, Cedar, MI (US)
Assigned to THOMPSON SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, INC., Traverse City, MI (US)
Filed by Thompson Surgical Instruments, Inc., Traverse City, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/476,959.
Application 17/476,959 is a continuation of application No. 16/420,595, filed on May 23, 2019, granted, now 11,123,056.
Prior Publication US 2022/0000467 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/0218 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00367 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00477 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A retractor system, comprising:
a first ring frame segment comprising a first ring frame segment outer surface and a recess that is in the first ring frame segment outer surface and toward an end of the first ring frame segment, wherein the first ring frame segment outer surface provides the first ring frame segment with uniform circular cross sections along a length of the first ring frame segment;
a second ring frame segment comprising a bore longitudinally into an end of the second ring frame segment;
a bushing in the bore of the second ring frame segment;
a screw in the recess of the first ring frame segment, the screw comprising a shaft, threads along at least a portion of the shaft, and a head that is accessible via the recess, wherein rotation of the screw in a tightening direction causes the threads of the screw to engage threads of the bushing and affix the first ring frame segment to the second ring frame segment to form at least a portion of a ring frame; and
a clamp comprising first jaws defining a first aperture;
wherein, when unclamped, the first jaws permit passage of the first ring frame segment between the first jaws and into the first aperture; and
wherein, when clamped, the first jaws clamp against the first ring frame segment outer surface with a first clamping force.