Bone fusion device, apparatus and method
AssigneeNeuropro Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJoseph N. Logan, Gary R. McLuen, Daniel R. Baker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bodiless bone fusion method, apparatus and device for insertion between bones that are to be fused together and/or in place of one or more of the bones, such as, for example, the vertebrae of a spinal column. The bodiless bone fusion device comprises one or more extendable plates, one or more extending blocks in communication with the extendable plates, one or more positioning elements for adjusting the extendable plates by manipulating the extending blocks, and one or more support panels for holding the positioning elements and guiding the extendable plates. The plates are able to be advantageously positioned in the confined space between the vertebrae to help brace the device until the bone has fused.
Claims20
A bone fusion device for insertion into a desired location comprising:
- an extending mechanism including a plurality of extending blocks coupled with a positioning element such that movement of the positioning element causes the plurality of extending blocks to move with respect to the positioning element;
- a first plate;
- and
- a second plate, the first and second plates coupled with the plurality of extending blocks such that when the plurality of extending blocks move with respect to the positioning element, the first and second plates move along a path with respect to each other between a retracted position in which the first and second plates are adjacent to each other to an extended position in which the first and second plates are spread apart from each other, wherein a portion of the first plate directly contacted by the plurality of extending blocks changes as the plurality of extending blocks move with respect to the positioning element.
A bone fusion device for insertion into a desired location comprising:
- an extending mechanism including one or more extending blocks coupled with a positioning element such that movement of the positioning element causes the one or more extending blocks to move with respect to the positioning element;
- a first plate;
- a second plate, the first and second plates straddling the extending mechanism and coupled with the one or more extending blocks such that when the one or more extending blocks move with respect to the positioning element, the first and second plates move along a path with respect to each other between a retracted position in which the first and second plates are in contact with each other to an extended position in which the plates are spread apart from and do not contact each other;
- and
- a lock having a body that contacts the positioning element to physically bias the movement of the positioning element into one of a plurality of positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.