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US 12,329,657 B2Granted
Expandable intervertebral spacers
AssigneeDeGen Medical, Inc.
InventorsCharles Robert Lucasiewicz, Craig Black
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The technical description relates to an expandable intervertebral spacer configured to engage an intervertebral disk. An example expandable intervertebral spacer includes a main body, a first endplate, a second endplate, a driving member, and an actuation member. The expandable intervertebral spacer is transitions from a first configuration to a second configuration by structural interfacing between steps defined on the first endplate, the second endplate, and the driving member. Steps include a surface that lies on a plane disposed at a non-parallel angle to the longitudinal axis of the intervertebral spacer.
Claims20
An expandable intervertebral spacer having a longitudinal axis, said expandable intervertebral spacer comprising:
- a main body defining a first opening, a first substantially planar lateral surface, a second substantially planar lateral surface, first and second curvilinear lateral surfaces adjacent and continuous with the first substantially planar lateral surface, third and fourth curvilinear lateral surfaces adjacent and continuous with the second substantially planar lateral surface, and a plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the main body;
- a driving member defining a second opening and a first plurality of steps, wherein at least one step of the first plurality of steps includes a surface that lies on a plane disposed at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular angle to the longitudinal axis;
- a first endplate defining a substantially planar bottom surface;
- a second endplate defining a substantially planar top surface;
- an actuation member extending through the first opening and in the second opening;
- wherein rotational movement of the actuation member moves the driving member linearly along the longitudinal axis of the expandable intervertebral spacer;
- and
- wherein linear movement of the driving member forces the first and second endplates to move away from the main body to transition the expandable intervertebral spacer from a first, unexpanded configuration to a second, expanded configuration.
5 more elements
An expandable intervertebral spacer having a longitudinal axis, said expandable intervertebral spacer comprising:
- a main body defining a first opening, a first substantially planar lateral surface, a second substantially planar lateral surface, first and second curvilinear lateral surfaces adjacent and continuous with the first substantially planar lateral surface, third and fourth curvilinear lateral surfaces adjacent and continuous with the second substantially planar lateral surface, a circumferential channel, and a first plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the main body, at least one opening of the plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the first lateral surface and at least one opening of the plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the second lateral surface;
- a retaining member captive within the circumferential channel;
- a driving member defining a second opening and a first plurality of steps, wherein at least one step of the first plurality of steps includes a surface that lies on a plane disposed at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular angle to the longitudinal axis;
- a first endplate defining a substantially planar bottom surface;
- a second endplate defining a substantially planar top surface;
- an actuation member extending through the first opening and in the second opening;
- wherein rotational movement of the actuation member moves the driving member linearly along the longitudinal axis of the expandable intervertebral spacer;
- and
- wherein linear movement of the driving member forces the first and second endplates to move away from the main body to transition the expandable intervertebral spacer from a first, unexpanded configuration to a second, expanded configuration.
6 more elements
An expandable intervertebral spacer having a longitudinal axis, said expandable intervertebral spacer comprising:
- a main body defining a first opening, a first substantially planar lateral surface, a second substantially planar lateral surface, first and second curvilinear lateral surfaces adjacent and continuous with the first substantially planar lateral surface, third and fourth curvilinear lateral surfaces adjacent and continuous with the second substantially planar lateral surface, a circumferential channel, and a first plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the main body;
- a driving member defining a second opening and a first plurality of steps, wherein at least one step of the first plurality of steps includes a surface that lies on a plane disposed at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular angle to the longitudinal axis;
- a first endplate defining a substantially planar bottom surface and a second plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the first endplate;
- a second endplate defining a substantially planar top surface and a third plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the second endplate;
- an actuation member extending through the first opening and in the second opening and defining a second circumferential channel;
- a c-shaped retaining member captive within the first circumferential channel and disposed within the second circumferential channel;
- wherein rotational movement of the actuation member moves the driving member linearly along the longitudinal axis of the expandable intervertebral spacer;
- and
- wherein linear movement of the driving member forces the first and second endplates to move away from the main body to transition the expandable intervertebral spacer from a first, unexpanded configuration to a second, expanded configuration.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.