Intervertebral implant
First Claim
1. An expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
- a one-piece upper body portion;
a one-piece lower body portion that generally faces the upper body portion along a transverse direction;
a threaded shaft disposed between the upper and lower body portions, the threaded shaft having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end in a unidirectional first direction;
a first wedge member threadedly coupled to the first end of the threaded shaft, wherein the first wedge member defines respective upper and lower guide members; and
a second wedge member supported by the threaded shaft at a location spaced from the first wedge member in the unidirectional first direction, wherein the second wedge member defines respective upper and lower guide members,wherein the threaded shaft is rotatable about a shaft axis with respect to the upper and lower body portions so as to
1) cause the first wedge member to threadedly move along the threaded shaft toward the second wedge member, which thereby causes a) the upper guide member of the first wedge member to ride in a first slot of the upper body portion, and b) the first and second wedge members to push against each of the upper and lower body portions, thereby increasing a distance between the upper and lower body portions, andwherein each of the upper and lower guide members of the first wedge member has respective outermost lateral ends spaced from each other along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to each of the unidirectional first direction and the transverse direction, the first wedge member has second respective outermost lateral ends that are spaced from each other along the lateral direction and coplanar with the threaded shaft in a plane that is perpendicular to the transverse direction, and the outermost ends of the upper and lower guide members of the first wedge member are inwardly recessed with respect to the second respective outermost ends along the lateral direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An adjustable spinal fusion intervertebral implant is provided that can comprise upper and lower body portions that can each have proximal and distal wedge surf aces disposed at proximal and distal ends thereof. An actuator shaft disposed intermediate the upper and lower body portions can be actuated to cause proximal and distal protrusions to converge towards each other and contact the respective ones of the proximal and distal wedge surfaces. Such contact can thereby transfer the longitudinal movement of the proximal and distal protrusions against the proximal and distal wedge surfaces to cause the separation of the upper and lower body portions, thereby expanding the intervertebral implant. The upper and lower body portions can have side portions that help facilitate linear translational movement of the upper body portion relative to the lower body portion.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An expandable intervertebral implant comprising:
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a one-piece upper body portion; a one-piece lower body portion that generally faces the upper body portion along a transverse direction; a threaded shaft disposed between the upper and lower body portions, the threaded shaft having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end in a unidirectional first direction; a first wedge member threadedly coupled to the first end of the threaded shaft, wherein the first wedge member defines respective upper and lower guide members; and a second wedge member supported by the threaded shaft at a location spaced from the first wedge member in the unidirectional first direction, wherein the second wedge member defines respective upper and lower guide members, wherein the threaded shaft is rotatable about a shaft axis with respect to the upper and lower body portions so as to
1) cause the first wedge member to threadedly move along the threaded shaft toward the second wedge member, which thereby causes a) the upper guide member of the first wedge member to ride in a first slot of the upper body portion, and b) the first and second wedge members to push against each of the upper and lower body portions, thereby increasing a distance between the upper and lower body portions, andwherein each of the upper and lower guide members of the first wedge member has respective outermost lateral ends spaced from each other along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to each of the unidirectional first direction and the transverse direction, the first wedge member has second respective outermost lateral ends that are spaced from each other along the lateral direction and coplanar with the threaded shaft in a plane that is perpendicular to the transverse direction, and the outermost ends of the upper and lower guide members of the first wedge member are inwardly recessed with respect to the second respective outermost ends along the lateral direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification