Patent ID: 8262657

Claim:
Apparatus for external fixation of bone fragments, comprising an integral housing including an elongated portion having outward-facing and inward-facing surfaces, at least three bone pins, and at least three pin mounting structures, spaced apart along a line extending along the elongated portion of the housing through a first distance, wherein the elongated portion of the housing and the mounting holes forming portions of the at least three pin mounting structures extend along an arcuate line formed about an arc axis, wherein the housing additionally includes a first linear portion extending from a first end of the arc axis, wherein the first linear portion includes at least three additional pin mounting structures, spaced apart along a straight line parallel to the arc axis, holding bone pins extending toward the arc axis, and wherein each of the pin mounting structures comprises a pin holder including a spherically rounded outer surface, a pin mounting surface holding one of the bone pins and at least one deformable portion, a mounting hole formed within the housing, including a spherically rounded inner surface engaging the spherically rounded outer surface of the pin holder and an aperture extending outward through the housing between the spherically rounded outer surface and the inward-facing surface of the housing, a threaded inner surface, coaxial with the spherically rounded inner surface and the aperture about the central axis, wherein the central axis of each of the mounting holes is disposed perpendicular to the arcuate line to extend to the arc axis at an angle different from an angle at which the central axis of each other mounting hole is disposed, so that the bone pins are held to converge within a region of convergence, formed around the arc axis to be substantially shorter than the first distance and spaced apart from the elongated portion, and wherein each of the pin holders is rotationally adjustable within the elongated portion to vary a location of a pin within the region of convergence, a clamping member having a threaded outer surface and a rounded surface engaging the pin holder, wherein engagement between the threaded outer surface of the clamping member and the threaded inner surface of the mounting hole holds the pin holder in place between the rounded surface of the clamping member and the spherically rounded inner surface of the mounting hole, and additionally deflects the at least one deformable portion of the pin holder to hold the bone pin in place within the pin holder.