Intervertebral implant

• US 6,176,882 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1999
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biedermann Motech GmbH
• Original Assignee: Biedermann Motech GmbH
• Inventors: Harms, Jürgen, Wichmann, Thomas, Biedermann, Lutz
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirsch, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US09/403,125
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 623/17, 623/17.15, 623/17.11, 606/61
• US Class Current: 623/17.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7001 Screws or hooks combined with longitudinal elements which do not contact vertebrae A61B17/7058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7008 with parts of, or attached to, the longitudinal elements, bearing against an outside of the screw or hook heads, e.g. nuts on threaded rods A61B17/7007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/442 Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30143 hexagonal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30148 lozenge- or diamond-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30153 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30156 triangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30158 trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30233 Stepped cylinders, i.e. having discrete diameter changes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30354 Cylindrically-shaped protrusion and recess, e.g. cylinder of circular basis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30359 Pyramidally- or frustopyramidally-shaped protrusion and recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30364 Rotation about the common longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30398 Sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/304 with additional means for limiting said sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3041 having threaded portions of different pitches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30411 having two threaded end parts connected by a threaded central part with opposite threads at its opposite ends, i.e. for adjusting the distance between both end parts by rotating the central part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30492 using a locking pin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30507 : using a threaded locking member, e.g. a locking screw or a set screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30515 : using a locking wedge or block
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30538 : for adjusting angular orientation
• 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 2002/30594 : slotted, e.g. radial or meridian slot ending in a polar aperture, non-polar slots, horizontal or arcuate slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30772 : Apertures or holes, e.g. of circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30774 : internally-threaded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 : parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3079 : Stepped or enlarged apertures, e.g. having discrete diameter changes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30843 : Pyramidally-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30892 : parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 : serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4638 : Tools for performing screwing, e.g. nut or screwdrivers, or particular adaptations therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0017 : Angular shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0019 : rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0023 : triangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0026 : trapezoidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0082 : parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0006 : for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys

Abstract

The invention relates to an intervertebrae implant comprising two side walls (1, 2) arranged at a distance to each other, a front wall (3) connecting the same at their one end, a back wall (4) connecting the same at their opposite other end, and one opening each on the base and cover part extending at right angles to the afore-mentioned walls. The invention also comprises at least one element (60, 61) provided for in the space (5) enclosed by the above walls, which element has a surface pointing towards the base or cover part and can be moved back and forth between a first final position in which said surface projects at least partly outwards beyond the base or cover part and a second final position in which the surface does not project beyond the base or cover part.

Claims

1. An intervertebrae implant comprising:

two spaced side walls,

a front wall connecting the side walls at one end thereof,

a back wall connecting the side walls at their other end,

the walls defining a corresponding space within the walls,

a bottom face,

a top face,

each face extending transversely to said walls,

at least one member disposed within the space defined by said walls, said member having a surface oriented toward one of the bottom face or the top face, and

an adjusting element, which is supported in the front wall and the back wall, and which cooperates with the member such that the member is reciprocally movable between a first end position wherein the surface does not project beyond the bottom face or the top face and a second end position wherein the surface at least partially projects outwardly beyond the bottom face or the top face.

2. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 1, further comprising two members.

3. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 1, further comprising a threaded spindle, and

wherein the adjusting element comprises two wedge members,

the spindle having two ends and two portions with opposite thread pitch and being provided in the space, one end of the threaded spindle being rotationally supported in the front wall and the other end being rotationally supported in the back wall, and

wherein the two wedge members are supported within the space in such a manner that, upon rotation of the threaded spindle in one direction, a distance between the wedge members decreases and, upon rotation of the threaded spindle in an opposite direction, the distance between the wedge members increases,

and said wedge members operate to move the element.

4. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 3, wherein the member comprises two inclined surfaces on a side opposite to said surface and wherein the wedge members engage the inclined surfaces.

5. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 3, wherein each wedge member provides a different wedge angle.

6. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 3, wherein each portion of said spindle has a different thread pitch.

7. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the member comprises teeth, thereby in use providing for penetration into an adjacent bone material.

8. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 1, further comprising a stop that limits the outward movement of the member.

9. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 8, wherein the stop comprises a pin supported in the side walls and extending substantially parallel to the front wall and the back wall.

10. An intervertebrae implant according to claims 1, wherein the shape of each of the side walls is substantially trapezoidal to provide a truncated wedge-shaped body.

11. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 1, wherein the member is positioned in the second end position in a manner such that said surface is inclined with respect to the bottom face or the top face.

12. An intervertebrae implant comprising:

two spaced side walls,

a front wall connecting the side walls at one end thereof,

a back wall connecting the side walls at their other end,

the walls defining a corresponding space within the walls,

a bottom face,

a top face,

each face extending transversely to said walls,

at least one member disposed within the space defined by said walls, said member having a surface oriented toward one of the bottom face or the top face,

an adjusting element, which is supported in the front wall and the back wall, and which cooperates with the member such that the member is reciprocally movable between a first end position wherein the surface does not project beyond the bottom face or the top face and a second end position wherein the surface at least partially projects outwardly beyond the bottom face or the top face; and

a stop that limits the outward movement of the member;

wherein the stop comprises a pin supported in the side walls and extending substantially parallel to the front wall and the back wall;

wherein said member further comprises a U-shaped slit extending transversely to said surface, said slit cooperating with said pin to limit the outward movement of the member.

13. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 12, further comprising two members.

14. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 12, further comprising a threaded spindle, and

wherein the adjusting element comprises two wedge members,

the spindle having two ends and two portions with opposite thread pitch and being provided in the space, one end of the threaded spindle being rotationally supported in the front wall and the other end being rotationally supported in the back wall, and

wherein the two wedge members are supported within the space in such a manner that, upon rotation of the threaded spindle in one direction, a distance between the wedge members decreases and, upon rotation of the threaded spindle in an opposite direction, the distance between the wedge members increases, and said wedge members operate to move the element.

15. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 14, wherein the member comprises two inclined surfaces on a side opposite to said surface and wherein the wedge members engage the inclined surfaces.

16. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 14, wherein each wedge member provides a different wedge angle.

17. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 14, wherein each portion of said spindle has a different thread pitch.

18. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 12, wherein the surface of the member comprises teeth, thereby in use providing for penetration into an adjacent bone material.

19. An intervertebrae implant according to claims 12, wherein the shape of each of the side walls is substantially trapezoidal to provide a truncated wedge-shaped body.

20. An intervertebrae implant according to claim 12, wherein the member is positioned in the second end position in a manner such that said surface is inclined with respect to the bottom face or the top face.