Expandable intervertebral implant cage
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An expandable intervertebral implant, the implant comprising:
- a) an external member and an internal member; and
b) an interlocking teeth structure formed on each of the external and internal members along which the external member and the internal member are adjustably engaged, the interlocking teeth structure arranged to permit expansion of the intervertebral implant along a direction of expansion, wherein;
the internal member includes an internal base wall, first and second internal walls that extend from the internal base wall along a length of the base wall, wherein the first and second internal walls each have a free end and an attached end, the attached end connected to the base wall and the free end extending from the base wall in a generally perpendicular orientation;
a flexible region in the internal member defined by a pair of slots formed adjacent to the attached ends of the first and second internal walls and extending along the length of the internal member base wall, wherein the flexible region provides for lateral displacement of the free ends of the first and second internal walls;
the interlocking teeth structures formed on the external and internal members include external and internal engagement surfaces configured to engage one another to lock the implant in an expanded configuration against a compressive force applied to the internal and external members along a direction opposite the direction of expansion; and
the external and internal engagement surfaces are arranged in a non-perpendicular orientation relative to the direction of implant expansion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An expandable intervertebral implant having an external member and an internal member. The implant includes a locking arrangement having a first interlocking teeth structure formed on the external member and a second interlocking teeth structure formed on the internal member. The interlocking teeth structures of the external and internal members have engagement surfaces arranged in a non-perpendicular orientation relative to the direction of implant expansion. The locking arrangement is configured such that walls of the internal member are pulled or flexed toward the walls of the external member when compressive forces are applied to the implant.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An expandable intervertebral implant, the implant comprising:
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a) an external member and an internal member; and b) an interlocking teeth structure formed on each of the external and internal members along which the external member and the internal member are adjustably engaged, the interlocking teeth structure arranged to permit expansion of the intervertebral implant along a direction of expansion, wherein; the internal member includes an internal base wall, first and second internal walls that extend from the internal base wall along a length of the base wall, wherein the first and second internal walls each have a free end and an attached end, the attached end connected to the base wall and the free end extending from the base wall in a generally perpendicular orientation; a flexible region in the internal member defined by a pair of slots formed adjacent to the attached ends of the first and second internal walls and extending along the length of the internal member base wall, wherein the flexible region provides for lateral displacement of the free ends of the first and second internal walls; the interlocking teeth structures formed on the external and internal members include external and internal engagement surfaces configured to engage one another to lock the implant in an expanded configuration against a compressive force applied to the internal and external members along a direction opposite the direction of expansion; and the external and internal engagement surfaces are arranged in a non-perpendicular orientation relative to the direction of implant expansion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An expandable intervertebral implant, the implant comprising:
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a) an external member and an internal member, each of the members including a base and at least a first wall extending from the base along a length from a first end to a second end of the external and internal members; and b) an interlocking teeth structure formed on the first walls of each of the external and internal members, the interlocking teeth structures arranged to permit engagement of the external and internal members with each other along their respective first walls and permit expansion of the intervertebral implant along a direction of expansion; the interlocking teeth structure formed on the external member having an engagement surface that engages an engagement surface of the interlocking teeth structure formed on the internal member to lock the implant in an expanded configuration against a compressive force applied to the internal and external members along a direction opposite the direction of expansion; and the engagement surfaces of the interlocking teeth structures being arranged in a non-perpendicular orientation relative to the first walls of the external and internal members; wherein the external member is a rigid construction configured to prevent flexure of the first wall of the external member; and wherein the internal member includes an arcuate slot positioned adjacent to an attached end of the first wall and extending from the first end to the second end of the internal member to form a flexible region within the internal member permitting flexure of a free end of the first and second walls of the internal member with respect to the base of the internal member. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An expandable intervertebral implant, the implant comprising:
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a) an external member including; i) a external base wall, and first and second external walls extending from the external base wall, the first and second external walls having a thickness to resist lateral displacement; b) an internal member coupled to the external member including; i) an internal base wall, and first and second internal walls extending from the internal base wall along a length of the base wall;
wherein the first and second internal walls each have a free end and an attached end, the attached end connected to the internal base wall and the free end extending from the base wall in a generally perpendicular orientationii) a flexible region in the internal member defined by a pair of slots formed adjacent to the attached ends of the first and second internal walls and extending along the length of the internal member base wall, wherein the flexible region provides for lateral displacement of the free ends of the first and second internal walls wherein the internal member is positioned with respect to the external member so that the first and second internal walls are engaged with and positioned within the first and second external wails; c) a locking arrangement configured to lock the implant in an expanded position, the locking arrangement including; i) a first configuration of teeth formed on each of the first and second external walls, the first configuration of teeth being raked in an upwardly direction; and ii) a second configuration of teeth formed on each of the first and second internal walls, the second configuration of teeth being raked in a downwardly direction; wherein the first and second configurations of teeth defied the internal walls of the internal member about the flexible region toward the external walls of the external member when compressive forces are applied to the base walls of the external and internal members. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An expandable intervertebral implant, the implant comprising:
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a) a first member having a first base portion and walls extending from the first base portion; b) a second member having a second base portion, walls extending from the second base portion along a length of the second member base wall, and arcuate slots positioned adjacent the walls extending along the length of the second member, the arcuate slots defining a flexible region between each of the walls and the second base portion; c) an interlocking structure formed on each of the first and second members, the interlocking structure being configured to secure the implant in an expanded configuration; wherein the walls of the second member flex toward the walls of the first member when compressive forces are applied to the base portions of the first and second members. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification