Patent ID: 8287539
Filing Date: 2012-10-16
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A bone fixation device comprising: an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and a flexible-to-rigid portion, the flexible-to-rigid portion being flexible in a first state and being generally rigid in a second state which allows the elongate body to go between a flexible state and a rigid state; an actuatable bone engaging mechanism disposed within the elongate body, wherein the bone engaging mechanism comprises a gripper having at least one bendable member such that as the gripper is actuated, the bendable member pivots away from the longitudinal axis of the elongate body and the gripper is deployed from a retracted configuration to an engaged configuration; and an actuator operably connected to the bone engaging mechanism to actuate the bone engaging mechanism from a disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration, wherein the actuator comprises a first ramped surface that is slideably coupled to an interior surface of the bendable member of the gripper, wherein proximally moving the first ramped surface of the actuator causes the first ramped surface to slideably engage the interior surface of said bendable member at an angle thereby pivoting the bendable member of the gripper away from the longitudinal axis away from the elongate body to deploy the bone engaging mechanism into the engaged configuration.