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:
Jun. 23, 2015
Filed:
Sep. 13, 2012
Charles L. Nelson, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Trung Ho Pham, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Vernon R. Hartdegen, Jr., Collierville, TN (US);
Nathan D. Brown, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Charles L. Nelson, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Trung Ho Pham, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Vernon R. Hartdegen, Jr., Collierville, TN (US);
Nathan D. Brown, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Sonoma Orthopedic Products, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Abstract
A segmented bone fixation device is provided with an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and having a first state in which at least a portion of the body is flexible and a second state in which the body is generally rigid. Methods of repairing a fracture of a bone are also disclosed. One such method comprises inserting a segmented fixation device into an intramedullary space of the bone to place at least a portion of the fixation device in a flexible state on one side of the fracture, providing rigidity across the fracture, and operating an actuator to deploy at least one gripper to engage an inner surface of the intramedullary space to anchor the fixation device to the bone. Various configurations allow a segmented device body to change shape as it moves from a flexible state to a rigid state.