Artificial spinal disc
First Claim
1. A spinal disc prosthesis to replace a damaged spinal disc in a spinal column of a human, said spinal disc prosthesis comprising:
- an upper rigid plate having an outer perimeter;
a lower rigid plate having an outer perimeter;
a body of elastomeric material located between and bonded to said upper and lower rigid plates, said body of elastomeric material including a main portion and a peripheral portion extending around said main portion;
said upper and lower plates each having a curved convex plate surface extending around said respective outer perimeters and facing said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material;
said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material having a first part which is bonded to said curved convex plate surfaces of said upper and lower plates and extends toward said main portion, said first part of said peripheral portion increasing in thickness as said first part extends from said curved convex plate surfaces toward said main portion;
said first part of said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material having a convexly curved outer surface which forms a part of the outer surface of said body of elastomeric material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spinal disc prosthesis to replace a damaged spinal disc in a spinal column of a human includes an upper rigid plate having an outer perimeter and a lower rigid plate having an outer perimeter. A body of elastomeric material located between and bonded to the upper and lower rigid plates includes a main portion and a peripheral portion extending around the main portion. The upper and lower plates each have a curved convex plate surface extending around the respective outer perimeters and facing the peripheral portion of the body of elastomeric material. The peripheral portion of the body of elastomeric material has a first part which is bonded to the curved convex plate surfaces of the upper and lower plates and extends toward the main portion. The first part of the peripheral portion increases in thickness as the first part extends from the curved convex plate surfaces toward the main portion. The first part of the peripheral portion of the body of elastomeric material has a convexly curved outer surface which forms a part of the outer surface of the body of elastomeric material.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A spinal disc prosthesis to replace a damaged spinal disc in a spinal column of a human, said spinal disc prosthesis comprising:
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an upper rigid plate having an outer perimeter; a lower rigid plate having an outer perimeter; a body of elastomeric material located between and bonded to said upper and lower rigid plates, said body of elastomeric material including a main portion and a peripheral portion extending around said main portion; said upper and lower plates each having a curved convex plate surface extending around said respective outer perimeters and facing said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material; said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material having a first part which is bonded to said curved convex plate surfaces of said upper and lower plates and extends toward said main portion, said first part of said peripheral portion increasing in thickness as said first part extends from said curved convex plate surfaces toward said main portion; said first part of said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material having a convexly curved outer surface which forms a part of the outer surface of said body of elastomeric material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A spinal disc prosthesis to replace a damaged spinal disc in a spinal column of a human, said spinal disc prosthesis comprising:
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an upper rigid plate having an outer perimeter; a lower rigid plate having an outer perimeter; a body of elastomeric material located between and bonded to said upper and lower rigid plates, said body of elastomeric material including a main portion and a peripheral portion extending around said main portion; said upper and lower plates each having a rim which encircles said plate and which is bonded to said main portion of said body of elastomeric material; said upper and lower plates each having a curved convex plate surface extending around said outer perimeters and facing said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material; said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material having a first part which is bonded to said curved surfaces of said upper and lower plates and extends toward said main portion, said first part of said peripheral portion increasing in thickness as said first part extends from said curved surfaces toward said main portion; said upper and lower plates each having a flat surface extending from said curved convex plate surface toward said rim, said peripheral portion of said body of elastomeric material being bonded to said flat surfaces, said peripheral portion having an increasing thickness as it extends from said curved convex plate surfaces toward said flat surfaces and having a decreasing thickness as it extends from said flat surfaces toward said rims. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. An artificial spinal disc comprising:
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upper and lower plates, each having an outer perimeter and a flange extending about the outer perimeter, and an elastomeric body located between the upper and lower plates, the body including a main portion and a peripheral portion extending about the main portion adjacent to each flange, the peripheral portion having an outer surface, a portion of which is convexly curved. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An artificial spinal disc comprising:
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upper and lower plates, each having a rim, an outer perimeter spaced-apart from the rim, and a flange extending about the outer perimeter, and an elastomeric body located between the upper and lower plates and engaging the rims, the body including a main portion and a peripheral portion extending about the main portion adjacent to each flange, the peripheral portion varying in thickness as it extends between each flange and each rim. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification