Patent ID: 6679921
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A prosthetic connector which receives a mated pin having at least one annular groove, comprising:a housing defining a top and a bottom, said housing constructed from first and second sections, said housing having an aperture extending axially through said first and second sections; wherein said first section has generally planar front and rear surfaces wherein said front surface is positioned in the interior of said housing and the rear surface forms the rear surface of said housing; said front surface of said first section having an elongated recess positioned along said diameter wherein said aperture is centered in said elongated recess; said elongated recess being generally rectangular and having a top surface, a bottom surface, and opposing side surfaces; a shuttle lock latch slidingly disposed in said elongated recess, said shuttle lock latch being generally rectangular and having a top end surface, a bottom end surface, a planar front surface and a planar rear surface; said shuttle lock latch configured to have a width providing close sliding engagement with the opposing sides of said elongated recess, said shuttle lock latch having a length less than said elongated recess; said shuttle lock latch having a pin-receiving opening extending therethough, said pin-receiving opening having a first perimeter coincident with said front surface and a second perimeter coincident with said rear surface, wherein said first perimeter is larger than said second perimeter, wherein said first perimeter and second perimeter have upper and lower edges wherein said upper edges are aligned to be equidistant from the top face of said shuttle lock latch and said lower edges define a linearly inclined surface within said pin receiving opening adjacent to said lower perimeter, said shuttle lock latch being slidable between a plurality of positions within said elongated recess; wherein said pin-receiving opening is centrally aligned with said aperture when said bottom rear end of said shuttle lock latch contacts said bottom surface of said elongated recess; and means for biasing said shuttle lock latch against said top surface of said elongated recess; whereby urging said pin into said aperture causes said pin to contact said linearly inclined surface and continuously displace the shuttle lock latch towards the bottom surface until said pin extends through said aperture, and said groove contracts a portion of said shuttle lock latch and said aperture, said biasing means displacing said shuttle lock latch to secure said pin between said shuttle lock latch and said aperture.