The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 23, 2025
Filed:
Oct. 18, 2023
Zimmer, Inc., Warsaw, IN (US);
Jeremie Gaudreau, Ottawa, CA;
Mitchell Muir, Philadelphia, PA (US);
Hillary Overholser, Goshen, IN (US);
Aleks Kostov, Uxbridge, CA;
Zimmer, Inc., Warsaw, IN (US);
Abstract
A force-sensing rib clip comprises an upper shell, a lower shell and a rib clip. The upper shell comprises an elongate body, an exterior surface of the elongate body, a rib-receiving channel extending along an interior surface of the upper shell and a ridge extending along the rib-receiving channel. The lower shell is configured to mate with the exterior surface. The load cell is positioned between the upper shell and the lower shell. A method of receiving feedback during a rib retraction procedure comprises attaching a force-sensing rib clip to a first rib bone, inserting a rib retractor into an intercostal space between the first rib bone and a second rib bone, applying retraction force to the first rib bone and the second rib bone through the force-sensing rib clip, outputting force-sensor data from the force-sensing rib clip to an interrogation device, and displaying force indicia on the interrogation device.