John Mark Kapitan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Abstract: An improved fastener is provided for use in retaining vertebrae in a desired spatial relationship. The fastener has a mounting section with a first external thread to engage a vertebra. The fastener has a retaining section with a second external thread to engage an internal thread on a retaining element, such as a nut. A circular intermediate section interconnects the mounting and retaining sections of the fastener. A plurality of spaced apart recesses are formed in the intermediate section. Each of these recesses has a surface for receiving force to rotate the fastener relative to a vertebra. The circular intermediate section may include an annular end surface which faces toward a retaining section and a cylindrical outer side surface. Each of the recesses has an opening which extends from the annular end surface into the cylindrical side surface.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 5, 1998
Date of Patent:
March 21, 2000
Assignee:
Depuy Orthopaedics, Inc.
Inventors:
Marcus Maria Sanders, John Mark Kapitan, Henry John Harding Brown
Abstract: An improved fastener is provided for use in retaining vertebrae in a desired spatial relationship. The fastener has a mounting section with a first external thread to engage a vertebra. The fastener has a retaining section with a second external thread to engage an internal thread on a retaining element, such as a nut. A pair of parallel flats are formed on opposite sides of the retaining section. The flats are spaced apart by a distance which is substantially the same as or greater than a root diameter of the external thread on the retaining section. A driving recess in an axially outer end of the retaining section has arcuate corner portions which receive force to effect rotation of the fastener relative to a vertebra engaged by the mounting section. The arcuate corner portions of the driving recess are offset from a plane containing the longitudinal central axis of the retaining section and extending perpendicular to the flats.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 3, 1997
Date of Patent:
May 4, 1999
Assignee:
DePuy Motech AcroMed Corporation
Inventors:
Henry John Harding Brown, John Mark Kapitan, Gerald Kotnik, Marcus Maria Sanders