Patent · US Expired

Screw and method of attachment to a substrate

US5961524A · kind A · utility

350Cited by
2References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 11, 1998
Grant dateOct 5, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 11, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S606/916
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of implanting a threaded tapered screw into a substrate having a hardness less than the hardness of the screw comprises: (a) drilling a pilot hole with a drill having substantially the same taper as the taper of the tapered screw, so as to provide a pilot hole having no threads therein; (b) inserting the tapered screw into the pilot hole (preferably by merely dropping the screw into the pilot hole); and then (c) further advancing the tapered threaded screw into the pilot hole. The method requires only a minimal amount of strength to insert the screw into the hole, is preferably used to secure a bioabsorbable screw within bone, is very quickly and efficiently done without any extra step of tapping or cutting threads within the hole, invades or disrupts the bone structure only minimally, and requires no screw-holding forceps for stabilizing the screw. The tapered threaded bioabsorbable screw is self-centering and self-aligning and is itself a novel tapered screw especially suitable for use in orthopedics for implantation into bone. The screw has a taper and preferably has threads having rounded crests, has a slot for ease of insertion, has a single thread pitch, and is bioab…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.