# US 10,945,856 B2 · Spinal interbody with compressive fusion features > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,856 B2 - Document ID: US10945856B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/584,732 - Filed: 2017-05-02 - Published: 2017-11-02 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-02 - Assignees: Spinal Simplicity, LLC - Applicants: Spinal Simplicity, LLC - Inventors: Douglas Snell; Barnds Annaria; Adam Rogers; Melissa Frock - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945856B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/4455: {for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages (intervertebral discs A61F2/442)} - A61B 17/7044: {also having plates, staples or washers bearing on the vertebrae} - A61B 17/86: Pins or screws {or threaded wires; nuts therefor (A61B17/72 take precedence)} - A61F 2/446: {having a circular or elliptical cross-section substantially parallel to the axis of the spine, e.g. cylinders or frustocones} - A61B 17/846: {Nails or pins, i.e. anchors without movable parts, holding by friction only, with or without structured surface (A61B17/72, A61B17/86 take precedence)} - A61F 2/44: for the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs - A61F 2/4425: {made of articulated components} - A61F 2002/30004: {the prosthesis being made from materials having different values of a given property at different locations within the same prosthesis} - A61F 2002/30166: {H-shaped or I-shaped} - A61F 2002/30266: {wedge-shaped parallelepipeds} - A61F 2002/30411: {having two threaded end parts connected by a threaded central part with opposite threads at its opposite ends, i.e. for adjusting the distance between both end parts by rotating the central part} - A61F 2002/30507: {using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw} - A61F 2002/30556: {for adjusting thickness} - A61F 2002/30565: {having spring elements} - A61F 2002/30579: {with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices} - A61F 2002/30779: {arcuate} - A61F 2002/30787: {inclined obliquely with respect to each other} - A61F 2002/5072: {having spring elements} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An interbody spacer for a spine includes a housing having a plurality of clearance holes configured to engage bone of the spine. A contact plate including a plurality of apertures is positioned a distance away from the housing configured to engage bone of the spine. A plurality of rivets adjoin the housing and the contact plate. A plurality of springs are included with each spring configured to encircle a respective rivet and translate the distance between the housing and contact plate from a minimum distance to a maximum distance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An interbody spacer for implanting in a spine, comprising: a housing including a plurality of clearance holes, said housing having an outer upper surface configured to engage a first bone of the spine and an inner surface; at least one contact plate including a plurality of apertures, said at least one contact plate having an outer lower surface configured to engage a second bone of the spine and an inner surface; a plurality of fasteners for adjoining the housing and the at least one contact plate, wherein each fastener comprises a head and a shank; and a plurality of compressive springs, each compressive spring forming a coil shape encircling the shank of one of the plurality of fasteners, wherein each compressive spring contacts an outer surface of each shank, wherein the head of each fastener is movably positioned within one of the plurality of clearance holes of the housing, and a portion of the shank of each fastener is fixedly positioned within one of the plurality of apertures of the at least one contact plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The interbody spacer of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a polymer and the at least one contact plate includes a metal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The interbody spacer of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an internal cavity on the outer surface configured to retain bone graft material therein. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The interbody spacer of claim 1, wherein said head of each fastener is configured to move within one of the plurality of clearance holes when each compressive spring is changed from a compressed state to an uncompressed state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The interbody spacer of claim 1, wherein the at least one contact plate comprises a first contact plate configured to engage the first bone of the spine and a second contact plate configured to engage the second bone of the spine, and said housing is positioned between the first contact plate and the second contact plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The interbody spacer of claim 5, wherein said housing has an outer lower surface, and wherein the plurality of clearance holes comprises a first clearance hole adjacent the outer upper surface and a second clearance hole adjacent the outer lower surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The interbody spacer of claim 6, wherein the plurality of fasteners comprises a first fastener and a second fastener, and wherein the head of the first fastener is positioned within the first clearance hole and the head of the second fastener is positioned within the second clearance hole. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The interbody spacer of claim 6, wherein said housing includes at least one internal cavity positioned adjacent at least one of the first clearance hole and the second clearance hole, said at least one cavity configured to retain bone graft material therein. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The interbody spacer of claim 1, wherein each compressive spring is movable with respect to each shank. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The interbody spacer of claim 1, wherein in a second expanded state, the inner surface of the at least one contact plate is spaced apart from the inner surface of the housing and the plurality of compressive springs are expanded. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The interbody spacer of claim 1, wherein a distal end of each shank comprises threads for engaging one of the plurality of apertures of the at least one contact plate. ### Claim 12 An interbody spacer for implanting in a spine, comprising: a housing including at least one clearance hole, said housing having an exterior surface configured to engage a first bone of the spine and an interior surface; a contact plate including at least one aperture, said contact plate having an exterior surface configured to engage a second bone of the spine and an interior surface; at least one fastener for movably connecting the housing and the contact plate, wherein the at least one fastener comprises a proximal end having a head, a threaded distal end, and a shank therebetween; and at least one compressive spring forming a coil shape encircling the shank of the at least one fastener, wherein the at least one compressive spring contacts an outer surface of the shank of the at least one fastener; wherein the head of the at least one fastener is movably positioned within the at least one clearance hole of the housing, and wherein the threaded distal end of the at least one fastener is fixedly connected to the at least one aperture of the contact plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The interbody spacer of claim 12, wherein the head of the at least one fastener is configured to move within the at least one clearance hole when the at least one compressive spring is expanded. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The interbody spacer of claim 13, wherein the interior surface of the contact plate is spaced apart from the interior surface of the housing when the at least one compressive spring is expanded. ### Claim 15 An interbody spacer for implanting in a spine, comprising: a housing including at least one clearance hole, said housing having an exterior surface configured to engage a first bone of the spine and an interior surface; at least one contact plate including at least one aperture, said at least one contact plate having an exterior surface configured to engage a second bone of the spine and an interior surface; at least one fastener for movably connecting the housing and the at least one contact plate, wherein the at least one fastener comprises a proximal end having a head, a distal end, and a shank therebetween; and at least one compressive spring forming a coil shape encircling the shank of the at least one fastener, wherein the at least one compressive spring contacts an outer surface of the shank of the at least one fastener; wherein the head of the at least one fastener is movably positioned within the at least one clearance hole of the housing, and wherein the distal end of the at least one fastener is fixedly anchored within the at least one aperture of the at least one contact plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The interbody spacer of claim 15, wherein in a first compressed state, the inner surface of the at least one contact plate is spaced apart a first distance from the inner surface of the housing and the at least one compressive spring is compressed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The interbody spacer of claim 16, wherein in a second expanded state, the inner surface of the at least one contact plate is spaced apart a second distance from the inner surface of the housing and the at least one compressive spring is expanded, wherein the second distance is larger than the first distance.