Patent ID: 8177843

Claim:
An automated screw rod bender comprising: a sensing system for sensing a first position of each of a plurality of screws that are inserted into a vertebrae; a computing system for converting the first positions into geometric coordinates of the screws and generating a corresponding plurality of rod bending parameters; and a rod bending system for bending a rod based on the rod bending parameters, said sensing system comprising a plurality of sensing arms, each of said sensing arms comprising: a sensor measurement ball configured to fit into a socket of one of said screws; a first shaft coupled to said measurement ball; a first rotary sensor configured to measure first coordinates of said first shaft; a second shaft coupled to said first shaft; a second rotary sensor configured to measure second coordinates of said second shaft; a sensor block coupled to said second shaft and slidably mounted on at least one linear shaft; and a linear sensor configured to measure a second position of said sensor block on said shaft.