# US 11,896,493 B2 · Expandable intervertebral spacer

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- Number: US 11,896,493 B2
- Document ID: US11896493B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/365,219
- Filed: 2021-07-01
- Published: 2021-10-21
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-16
- Assignees: Globus Medical, Inc.
- Applicants: Globus Medical, Inc.
- Inventors: Kurt Faulhaber
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896493B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/4425: {made of articulated components}
- 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 2/447: {substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section}
- A61F 2/4611: {of spinal prostheses}
- A61B 17/8042: {the additional component being a cover over the screw head}
- A61B 17/8852: {capable of being assembled or enlarged, or changing shape, inside the bone or disc}
- A61B 2017/564: {Methods for bone or joint treatment}
- A61F 2002/30405: {made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves}
- A61F 2002/30482: {using a locking cam}
- A61F 2002/30507: {using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw}
- A61F 2002/30515: {using a locking wedge or block}
- A61F 2002/30556: {for adjusting thickness}
- A61F 2002/30578: {having apertures, e.g. for receiving fixation screws}
- A61F 2002/30593: {hollow}
- A61F 2002/3081: {inclined obliquely with respect to each other}
- A61F 2002/30836: {knurled}
- A61F 2220/0016: with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
- A61F 2230/0082: parallelepipedal
- A61F 2250/0009: for adjusting thickness
- A61F 2250/0065: telescopic
- 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

A spacer for separating bones of a joint, the spacer includes a first endplate configured to engage a first bone of the joint; a second endplate configured to engage a second bone of the joint; and an actuation subassembly comprising a drive nut, a drive screw coupled to the drive nut, and a cam frame coupled to the drive screw, wherein the cam frame is disposed between the first endplate and the second endplate, wherein the cam frame comprises a proximal frame end, a distal frame end, and lateral frame sides, wherein cams disposed on the lateral frame sides selectively engage at least one of the first endplate or the second endplate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A spacer for separating bones of a joint, the spacer comprising:
a first endplate configured to engage a first bone of the joint;
a second endplate configured to engage a second bone of the joint; and
an actuation subassembly comprising a drive nut, a drive screw coupled to the drive nut, and a frame coupled to the drive screw, wherein the frame is disposed between the first endplate and the second endplate, wherein the frame comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and lateral sides, and the frame comprise slots formed in the lateral sides of the frame and pins engage the slots, wherein rotation of the drive nut translates the frame, the frame engages the pins to selectively engage at least one of the first endplate or the second endplate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, wherein the spacer is moveable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, wherein, in the expanded position, the spacer has a height that is greater than a height in the collapsed position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, wherein the pins each comprise an elongated body portion and a ridge, wherein the ridge is at an angle with respect to the elongated body portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The spacer of claim 3, wherein the ridge of each of the pins engages a corresponding one of the slots.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, wherein the drive screw comprises a threaded portion that threadingly engages a through bore of the drive nut.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, wherein one end of the drive screw is retained in an opening in the proximal frame end, and another end of the drive screw is threadingly coupled to a through bore of drive nut.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, wherein frame is open at the distal end.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, at least one retention slot is formed in proximal frame end, wherein the at least one retention slot intersects an opening in the proximal frame end, and wherein one or more screw retention plates are positioned in the at least one retention slot to retain the drive screw in the opening.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, further comprising a front plate, wherein the front plate comprise a plate body and an extension, wherein the plate body comprises bone fastener receiving holes configured to receive bone fasteners, and wherein the extension extends between the first endplate and the second endplate, the drive screw extending through the front plate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, wherein the first endplate further comprises front sockets configured to receive bone fasteners.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The spacer of claim 1, wherein the pins are pivotably secured in slots formed on the lateral frame sides.

### Claim 12

A spacer for separating bones of a joint, the spacer comprising:
a first endplate configured to engage a first bone of the joint;
a second endplate configured to engage a second bone of the joint;
an actuation subassembly comprising:
a drive nut comprising a head portion and an extension from the head portion, wherein the extension is secured in a cutout formed by the first endplate and the second endplate;
a drive screw comprising a threaded end that is threadingly coupled to a through bore of the drive nut;
a frame comprising a proximal frame end, a distal frame end, and lateral sides, wherein slots are formed in the lateral frame sides, wherein the slots are at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the spacer, wherein the drive screw is retained in an opening in the proximal frame end; and
a plurality of pins that engage the slots and engage at least one of the first endplate and/or the second endplate.