Patent ID: 11859649
Assignee: MEDOS INTERNATIONAL SARL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  F  Y | IPC A  F

Claim 0:
1. An assembly, comprising:
a housing defining a cavity with a central axis extending from a proximal end of the housing to a distal end of the housing, as well as an opening to the cavity formed at the distal end of the housing;
an inner race disposed in the cavity of the housing and defining an interface between the housing and the inner race, the interface enabling translation of the inner race along the central axis and resisting rotation of the inner race about the central axis, the inner race comprising an inner surface defining a central passage configured to receive a portion of an alignment guide;
a biasing element that urges the inner race distally along the central axis toward the opening;
an outer race disposed in the cavity and fixed relative to the housing, the outer race including an inner surface surrounding an outer surface of the inner race, at least a portion of the inner surface defining a tapered region having decreasing diameter towards the opening to the cavity;
a plurality of clamping elements carried by the inner race such that (i) movement of the inner race distally toward the opening of the cavity engages the plurality of clamping elements against the inner surface of the outer race, the inner surface of the outer race urging the plurality of clamping elements into the central passage of the inner race and towards the central axis, and (ii) movement of the inner race proximally away from the opening of the cavity translates the plurality of clamping elements along the tapered region such that the increasing diameter allows the plurality of clamping elements to move out of the central passage and away from the central axis;
wherein, after insertion of an alignment guide sized to contact the plurality of clamping elements into the central passage of the inner race in the proximal direction, engagement of the plurality of clamping elements with the tapered region prevents movement of the inner race and the alignment guide in the distal direction.