Patent ID: 7632271

Claim:
An extendible external fixator comprising: a housing having an internal axially extending bore and a bone pin holder mounted on an external surface thereof; a telescoping member having a threaded inner bore and a bone pin holder mounted thereon spaced from a first end of said housing slidably received in said bore of said housing; means for preventing relative rotation between said housing and said telescoping member; and a drive member rotatably mounted on a second end of said housing and having a threaded outer surface threadably received within said inner bore of said telescoping member whereby rotation of said drive member causes relative movement between said telescoping member and said housing, a drive knob having at least one spring loaded detent element movable in a direction perpendicular to the axial bore upon rotation of the drive member the at least one spring loaded detent element moves into engagement with a plurality of corresponding stop members located on an outer surface of the housing to extend the fixator in predefined intervals wherein the drive knob is selectively engagable with the drive member.