# US 10,945,859 B2 · Expanding fusion cages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,859 B2 - Document ID: US10945859B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/261,383 - Filed: 2019-01-29 - Published: 2019-08-01 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-29 - Assignees: Amplify Surgical, Inc. - Applicants: Imds LLC - Inventors: Darin Ewer; Trevor K. Lewis; Justin Hyer; Nicholas Slater; Nathan O. Plowman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945859B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/447: {substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section} - 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)} - A61F 2/4611: {of spinal prostheses} - A61F 2002/30148: {lozenge- or diamond-shaped} - A61F 2002/30151: {rhomboidal or parallelogram-shaped} - A61F 2002/30154: {square} - A61F 2002/30265: {Flat parallelepipeds} - A61F 2002/3055: {for adjusting length} - A61F 2002/30556: {for adjusting thickness} - A61F 2002/30579: {with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices} - A61F 2002/30593: {hollow} - A61F 2002/30622: {Implant for fusing a joint or bone material} - A61F 2002/30828: {parallel} - 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) ## Abstract Expandable fusion cages are disclosed which may be expandable in two substantially mutually perpendicular directions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An expandable fusion cage system comprising: a cage comprising a plurality of links hinged together end to end, wherein the links are rotatable relative to each other in a plane; a wedge component having a tapered first end; and wherein each one of the plurality of links comprises an upper member and a lower member, wherein the upper members are movable relative to the lower members along an axis normal to the plane; and wherein the wedge component is receivable between the upper and lower members; wherein the plurality of links further comprises: a first link extending from a first end to a second end having a first upper member and a first lower member; a second link extending from a first end to a second end having a second upper member and a second lower member; a third link extending from a first end to a second end having a third upper member and a third lower member; a fourth link extending from a first end to a second end having a fourth upper member and a fourth lower member; and wherein the first link is connected to the second link at the respective first ends, which are connected via a first post; wherein the first link is connected to the third link at the respective second ends, which are connected via a second post; wherein the second link is connected to the fourth link at the respective second ends, which are connected via a third post; wherein the third link is connected to the fourth link at the respective first ends, which are separated by a first distance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The expandable fusion cage system of claim 1, wherein the wedge component further comprises a first and a second parallel arm each having a tapered first end, and wherein the first and second arms are joined at a second end. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The expandable fusion cage system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of links further comprises four links hinged together to form a quadrilateral polygon. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The expandable fusion system of claim 1, wherein the wedge component further comprises a first and a second parallel arm each having a tapered first end, wherein the first and second arms are joined at a second end; and wherein the wedge is insertable between the upper and lower members of the first and second links, so that first post is between the first and second arms of the wedge, and when the wedge is inserted farther past the first post, the upper and lower members of the first and second links are moved from a first insertion distance to a second expanded distance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The expandable fusion system of claim 1, wherein the second end of the wedge component has a concave curvature that is complimentary to a curvature of one of the first post, second post, or the third post. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The expandable fusion system of claim 1, wherein the cage is transformable from a first insertion height to a second expanded height, by the insertion of the tapered ends of the wedge component between any of the upper and lower members. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The expandable fusion system of claim 1, wherein the cage is transformable from a first insertion width to a second expanded width, by the insertion of the tapered ends of the wedge component between any of the upper and lower members of the cage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The expandable fusion system of claim 7, wherein when the wedge component is inserted into the cage, the first and second arms cause the second post and the third post to move away from one another. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The expandable fusion system of claim 8, wherein when the wedge component is inserted into the cage, the first and second arms cause the first ends of the first and second links to move closer to the first ends of the third and fourth links. ### Claim 10 An expandable fusion cage system comprising: a cage comprising a plurality of links hinged together end to end, wherein the links are rotatable relative to each other in a plane, wherein the plurality of links comprises four links hinged together to form a quadrilateral polygon; a wedge component having a tapered first end; and wherein each one of the plurality of links comprises an upper member and a lower member, wherein the upper members are movable relative to the lower members along an axis normal to the plane; and wherein the wedge component is receivable between the upper and lower members. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The expandable fusion cage system of claim 10, wherein the wedge component further comprises a first and a second parallel arm each having a tapered first end, and wherein the first and second arms are joined at a second end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The expandable fusion cage of claim 10, wherein the plurality of links further comprises: a first link extending from a first end to a second end having a first upper member and a first lower member; a second link extending from a first end to a second end having a second upper member and a second lower member; a third link extending from a first end to a second end having a third upper member and a third lower member; a fourth link extending from a first end to a second end having a fourth upper member and a fourth lower member; and wherein the first link is connected to the second link at the respective first ends, which are connected via a first post; wherein the first link is connected to the third link at the respective second ends, which are connected via a second post; wherein the second link is connected to the fourth link at the respective second ends, which are connected via a third post; wherein the third link is connected to the fourth link at the respective first ends, which are separated by a first distance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The expandable fusion system of claim 12, wherein the wedge component further comprises a first and a second parallel arm each having a tapered first end, wherein the first and second arms are joined at a second end; and wherein the wedge is insertable between the upper and lower members of the first and second links, so that first post is between the first and second arms of the wedge, and when the wedge is inserted farther past the first post, the upper and lower members of the first and second links are moved from a first insertion distance to a second expanded distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The expandable fusion system of claim 12, wherein the second end of the wedge component has a concave curvature that is complimentary to a curvature of one of the first post, second post, or the third post. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The expandable fusion system of claim 12, wherein the cage is transformable from a first insertion height to a second expanded height, by the insertion of the tapered ends of the wedge component between any of the upper and lower members. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The expandable fusion system of claim 12, wherein the cage is transformable from a first insertion width to a second expanded width, by the insertion of the tapered ends of the wedge component between any of the upper and lower members of the cage. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The expandable fusion system of claim 16, wherein when the wedge component is inserted into the cage, the first and second arms cause the second post and the third post to move away from one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The expandable fusion system of claim 17, wherein when the wedge component is inserted into the cage, the first and second arms cause the first ends of the first and second links to move closer to the first ends of the third and fourth links.