Medical device employing a coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism

• US 10,369,008 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SpineX Tec, LLC
• Original Assignee: SpineX Tec, LLC
• Inventors: Jimenez, Omar F., Powley, Nicholas R., Fischer, Andrew G., Safris, Yefim
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Ellen C
• Application Number:
  US15/332,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20170100258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7065 Devices with changeable shape, e.g. collapsible or having retractable arms to aid implantation; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/681 Alignment, compression, or distraction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/385 also provided with condylar bearing surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3868 with sliding tibial bearing
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/482 Electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30405 made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30426 Bayonet coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30523 by means of meshing gear teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30525 Worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30579 with mechanically expandable devices, e.g. fixation devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 : hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30601 : telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30624 : Hinged joint, e.g. with transverse axle restricting the movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30639 : having rolling elements between both articulating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3082 : Grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 : serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30925 : etched
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3631 : with an integral complete or partial peripheral collar or bearing shoulder at its base
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 : comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4628 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about an axis transverse to the instrument axis or to the implantation direction, e.g. clamping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4629 : connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5041 : having bearing bushes between the rotating parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5069 : Ball bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/507 : Roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 : Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0009 : for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00796 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. hydroxy(l)apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00976 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of proteins or of polypeptides, e.g. of bone morphogenic proteins BMP or of transforming growth factors TGF
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00982 : Coating made of collagen
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00988 : Coating made of fibrin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00994 : Coating made of gelatin
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/2046 : with gears arranged perpendicular to screw shaft axis, e.g. helical gears engaging tangentially the screw shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/2084 : Perpendicular arrangement of drive motor to screw axis
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/209 : using worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/20 : Screw mechanisms with automatic reversal F16H25/12
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/2056 : Telescopic screws with at least three screw members in coaxial arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/2214 : with elements for guiding the circulating balls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 : Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18608 : Single input split into two intermediate outputs that are subsequently superposed into a single output
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18672 : Plural screws in series [e.g., telescoping, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19702 : Screw and nut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19749 : Recirculating rolling elements

Abstract

Medical devices in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention employ one or more coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanisms. In various embodiments, coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanisms include a post with a threaded exterior surface and a corresponding sleeve configured to surround the post, the corresponding sleeve having a threaded interior surface configured to interface with the threaded exterior surface of the post and a geared exterior surface. A drive mechanism can be configured to interface with the geared exterior surface of the sleeve, causing the device to expand.

Claims

1. A size-adjustable medical device, comprising:

a first outer member;

a second outer member;

a coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism disposed between the first member and the second member, the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism including a sleeve having a helically geared exterior surface with a plurality of gear teeth thereon; and

wherein selective rotation of the sleeve causes an expansion of the first outer member relative to the second outer member due to a telescoping expansion of the sleeve translating relative to one of the first outer member and the second outer member simultaneously with the other of the first outer member and the second outer member translating relative to the sleeve.

2. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism having a drive thread that interfaces with the helically geared exterior surface of the sleeve such that rotation of the drive mechanism causes rotation of the sleeve.

3. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 2, further comprising a pair of coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanisms disposed between the first outer member and the second outer member driven by the drive mechanism.

4. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism is a worm drive having a pair of separate threaded sections, each threaded section configured to interface with one of the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanisms.

5. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism is capable of independently rotating each of the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanisms to provide for differential expansion of the pair of coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanisms.

6. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 2, wherein the drive mechanism is axially fixed as the drive mechanism is rotated to drive the helically geared exterior surface of the sleeve.

7. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 1, wherein the sleeve fits within a sleeve opening in one of the first outer member or the second outer member such that the helically geared exterior surface of the sleeve interfaces with a corresponding internal thread in the sleeve opening.

8. A size-adjustable medical device, comprising:

a first member;

a second member; and

a size-adjustable support engaging the first and second members to provide an adjustable separation distance between the first and second members, the support comprising commonly-actuated, coaxial first and second axially rotatable joints to provide the adjustable separation distance, wherein the support comprises a first sleeve member and a second sleeve member each including a helical external thread including a plurality of superimposed teeth and an internal thread, wherein the first sleeve member is rotationally mounted in a first threaded lumen within the first member and the second sleeve member is rotationally mounted in a second, substantially parallel threaded lumen within the first member, and wherein actuating the first and second axially rotatable joints expands the implant into an expanded configuration.

9. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 8, further comprising a worm drive having a threaded section configured to interface with the helical external threads of the first sleeve member and the second sleeve member, wherein rotation of the worm drive rotates the sleeve members to actuate the first and second axially rotatable joints.

10. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 9, wherein the worm drive has a pair of separate threaded sections, each threaded section configured to interface with one of the sleeve members.

11. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 9, wherein the worm drive is capable of independently rotating each of the sleeve members to provide for differential actuation of the first and second axially rotatable joints.

12. The size-adjustable medical device of claim 9, wherein the worm drive is axially fixed as it is rotated to rotate the sleeve members.

13. A spinal implant comprising:

a housing configured to be received between vertebral bodies, the housing including;

first and second portions;

a first rotatable member rotatably received in the first portion such that rotation of the first rotatable member transitions the first portion between an expanded state and a contracted state; and

a second rotatable member rotatably received in the second portion such that rotation of the second rotatable member transitions the second portion between an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration;

a first drive mechanism operatively coupled with the first rotatable member such that rotation of the first drive mechanism about a first axis transitions the first portion of the housing between the expanded and contracted states; and

a second drive mechanism operatively coupled with the second rotatable member of the housing such that rotation of the second drive mechanism about a second axis transitions the second portion of the housing between the expanded and contracted configurations;

wherein the first and second drive mechanisms are rotatable independently of each other to independently rotate the first and second rotatable members, and wherein the first axis of the first drive mechanism is collinear with the second axis of the second drive mechanism.

14. The spinal implant according to claim 13, wherein the first and second rotatable members are selectively rotatable such that the first and second portions of the housing define an acute angle relative to each other.

15. The spinal implant according to claim 13, wherein the first and second drive mechanisms include respective drive threads operatively coupled with the respective first and second rotatable members so as to rotate the respective first and second rotatable members.

16. The spinal implant according to claim 13, wherein the first portion of the housing expands transversely outward with respect to a longitudinal axis defined by the housing when the first portion of the housing is in the expanded state.

17. The spinal implant according to claim 16, wherein the second portion of the housing expands transversely outward with respect to the longitudinal axis defined by the housing when the second portion of the housing is in the expanded configuration.