Abstract: A captive screw for securing together two panels has a screw and a spring extending between the screw head and a ferrule. A collar is formed on the screw shank under the ferrule to limit penetration of the screw threads in a bottom panel so that the upper panel floats on the spring.

Abstract: A polyaxial bone anchor has a locking element shaped and configured to allow an anchoring member (e.g., a screw or hook) to polyaxially rotate at large angles about a central axis of the bone anchor before compression locking the anchoring member within an anchor head.

Abstract: A captive screw for securing together two panels has a screw and a spring extending between the screw head and a ferrule. A collar is formed on the screw shank under the ferrule to limit penetration of the screw threads in a bottom panel so that the upper panel floats on the spring.

Abstract: A transconnector for joining adjacent longitudinal spinal rods. The transconnector preferably includes a bridge member and a pair of bone fixation coupling elements, the bridge member is preferably sized and configured to span a distance between the pair of bone fixation coupling elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the bridge member and sized and configured to receive one of the bone fixation elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the body portion of the bone fixation element. The bone fixation coupling elements may include a locking cap having a first set of threads for threadably engaging the bone fixation element.

Abstract: A polyaxial bone anchor has a locking element shaped and configured to allow an anchoring member (e.g., a screw or hook) to polyaxially rotate at large angles about a central axis of the bone anchor before compression locking the anchoring member within an anchor head.

Abstract: A customizable, disposable mop and method for customizing a disposable mop to have different floor contacting surface properties is disclosed. The mop (10) includes a floor contacting surface area (26) having a length and width and floor contacting surface properties. The outer layer (24) of the mop (10) has two or more partitions in covering relation over an inner layer (22). One or more of the outer layer partitions (28, 30, 32) is selectably separable along a seam from covering relation over the inner layer (22) or over two or more respective partitions (34, 36, 38) in the inner layer (22). The outer layer (24) and inner layer (22) partitions have a selectable mopping characteristic for customizing the properties of the floor contacting surface area (26) of the mop (10).

Abstract: A method and device for inserting screws into a patient, such that when the device is removed the device does not stick to the screw. The device, being a push-off driver, may have a handle, an inner driver, and a threaded driver sleeve having a button mechanism and a plurality of spheres, and an inner sleeve. The method includes the steps of assembling a push-off driver attaching a bone screw to the push-off driver inserting the bone screw and detaching the bone screw from the driver by unthreading the threaded driver sleeve from the polyaxial screw which causes the spheres in the recess of the inner driver to back up against the start of the recess and causing the threaded driver sleeve to “push-off” the polyaxial screw from the inner driver.

Abstract: A customizable, disposable mop and method for customizing a disposable mop to have different floor contacting surface properties is disclosed. The mop (10) includes a floor contacting surface area (26) having a length and width and floor contacting surface properties. The outer layer (24) of the mop (10) has two or more partitions in covering relation over an inner layer (22). One or more of the outer layer partitions (28, 30, 32) is selectably separable along a seam from covering relation over the inner layer (22) or over two or more respective partitions (34, 36, 38) in the inner layer (22). The outer layer (24) and inner layer (22) partitions have a selectable mopping characteristic for customizing the properties of the floor contacting surface area (26) of the mop (10).

Abstract: A method and device for inserting screws into a patient, such that when the device is removed the device does not stick to the screw. The device, being a push-off driver, may have a handle, an inner driver, and a threaded driver sleeve having a button mechanism and a plurality of spheres, and an inner sleeve. The method includes the steps of assembling a push-off driver attaching a bone screw to the push-off driver inserting the bone screw and detaching the bone screw from the driver by unthreading the threaded driver sleeve from the polyaxial screw which causes the spheres in the recess of the inner driver to back up against the start of the recess and causing the threaded driver sleeve to “push-off” the polyaxial screw from the inner driver.

Abstract: A polyaxial bone anchor has a locking element shaped and configured to allow an anchoring member (e.g., a screw or hook) to polyaxially rotate at large angles about a central axis of the bone anchor before compression locking the anchoring member within an anchor head.

Abstract: A transconnector for joining adjacent longitudinal spinal rods. The transconnector preferably includes a bridge member and a pair of bone fixation coupling elements, the bridge member is preferably sized and configured to span a distance between the pair of bone fixation coupling elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the bridge member and sized and configured to receive one of the bone fixation elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the body portion of the bone fixation element. The bone fixation coupling elements may include a locking cap having a first set of threads for threadably engaging the bone fixation element.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transconnector for joining adjacent longitudinal spinal rods. The transconnector preferably includes a bridge member and a pair of bone fixation coupling elements, the bridge member is preferably sized and configured to span a distance between the pair of bone fixation coupling elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the bridge member and sized and configured to receive one of the bone fixation elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the body portion of the bone fixation element. The bone fixation coupling elements may include a locking cap having a first set of threads for threadably engaging the bone fixation element.

Abstract: A polyaxial bone anchor has a locking element shaped and configured to allow an anchoring member (e.g., a screw or hook) to polyaxially rotate at large angles about a central axis of the bone anchor before compression locking the anchoring member within an anchor head.

Abstract: A polyaxial bone anchor includes an anchor head, an anchor member, a bushing, a sleeve and a fastener. The anchor head has a longitudinal bore and an inner spherical surface on a lower portion. The bushing is received within the longitudinal bore adjacent the lower portion and includes an exterior spherical surface for interacting with the inner spherical surface in the anchor head, an internal space defining an inner spherical surface for mating with a spherical head portion of the anchor member and a slot. The inner spherical surface of the bushing has a spherical centerpoint and the exterior spherical surface of the bushing has a spherical centerpoint. The spherical centerpoint of the inner spherical surface is vertically displaced toward the bottom end relative to the spherical centerpoint of the exterior spherical surface. The sleeve is received within the longitudinal bore. The fastener is mountable to the anchor head.

Abstract: An anchor assembly for use in spinal fixation to interconnect a longitudinal spinal rod, which is integrally formed with a body of the anchor assembly. The anchor assembly includes a bone anchor, a collet, a body portion, a rod portion, and a locking cap. The anchor assembly is preferably configured so that in use, the bone anchor may be secured to the patient's vertebra prior to being received within the body portion. The anchor assembly enables a surgeon to implant the bone anchor without the body portion to maximize visibility and access around the anchoring site. Once the bone anchor has been secured to the patient's vertebra, the rod portion may be inserted into the rod-receiving channel of a second bone fixation element having a rod-receiving channel implanted at a second site and the body portion can be snapped-onto the bone anchor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transconnector for joining adjacent longitudinal spinal rods. The transconnector preferably includes a bridge member and a pair of bone fixation coupling elements, the bridge member is preferably sized and configured to span a distance between the pair of bone fixation coupling elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the bridge member and sized and configured to receive one of the bone fixation elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the body portion of the bone fixation element. The bone fixation coupling elements may include a locking cap having a first set of threads for threadably engaging the bone fixation element.

Abstract: A captive screw for securing together two panels has a screw and a spring extending between the screw head and a ferrule. A collar is formed on the screw shank under the ferrule to limit penetration of the screw threads in a bottom panel so that the upper panel floats on the spring.

Abstract: A method and device for inserting screws into a patient, such that when the device is removed the device does not stick to the screw. The device, being a push-off driver, may have a handle, an inner driver, and a threaded driver sleeve having a button mechanism and a plurality of spheres, and an inner sleeve. The method includes the steps of assembling a push-off driver attaching a bone screw to the push-off driver inserting the bone screw and detaching the bone screw from the driver by unthreading the threaded driver sleeve from the polyaxial screw which causes the spheres in the recess of the inner driver to back up against the start of the recess and causing the threaded driver sleeve to “push-off” the polyaxial screw from the inner driver.

Abstract: A polyaxial bone anchor has a locking element shaped and configured to allow an anchoring member (e.g., a screw or hook) to polyaxially rotate at large angles about a central axis of the bone anchor before compression locking the anchoring member within an anchor head.

Abstract: A captive screw for securing together two panels has a screw and a spring extending between the screw head and a ferrule. A collar is formed on the screw shank under the ferrule to limit penetration of the screw threads in a bottom panel so that the upper panel floats on the spring.