US 12,070,253 B2
Orthopedic implant with improved variable angle locking mechanism
Ramprasad Papannagari, Collierville, TN (US); Nicholas S. Ritchey, Collierville, TN (US); Nathaniel Kelley Grusin, Germantown, TN (US); Rick Graber, Cordova, TN (US); and Joseph Ferrante, Bartlett, TN (US)
Assigned to Smith & Nephew, Inc.; Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics AG, Zug (CH); and Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte. Limited, Singapore (SG)
Appl. No. 17/616,785
Filed by Smith & Nephew, Inc., Memphis, TN (US); Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics AG, Zug (CH); and Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte. Limited, Singapore (SG)
PCT Filed Jun. 2, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/035729
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 6, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/247381, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 10, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/858,727, filed on Jun. 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0233222 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/80 (2006.01); A61B 17/70 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/8047 (2013.01) [A61B 17/7059 (2013.01); A61B 17/8014 (2013.01); A61B 17/8052 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An orthopedic implant comprising:
a bone contacting surface;
an upper surface opposite the bone contacting surface; and
a plurality of openings extending between the bone contacting surface and the upper surface, each of the plurality of openings being arranged and configured to receive a fastener for coupling the orthopedic implant to a patient's bone in use;
wherein:
at least one of the plurality of openings including first and second rows of fins;
each of the first and second rows of fins including a plurality of fins circumferentially disposed about the at least one opening, the plurality of fins being arranged and configured to engage a head portion of a respective fastener inserted therein; and
each of the plurality of fins in the first and second rows of fins has a first configuration or a second configuration, the second configuration being different than the first configuration;
wherein:
each of the plurality of fins in the first row of fins is arranged and configured in a vertically stacked relationship with one of the plurality of fins in the second row of fins so that the second row of fins is circumferentially aligned with the first row of fins;
for each of the vertical stacks of first and second rows of fins, the fin in the first row of fins includes one of the first configuration and the second configuration and the fin in the second row of fins in its respective vertical stack includes the other one of the first configuration and the second configuration; and
each fin in the first and second rows of fins includes an alternating configuration of fins between the first and second configurations as the fins are circumferentially disposed in the at least one opening.