Spinal spacer assembly

• US 7,141,068 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Encore Medical Asset Corporation (Enovis Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Encore Medical Asset Corporation (Enovis Corp.)
• Inventors: Ross, Thomas, Gray, Wayne P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramana, Anu
• Application Number:
  US10/609,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 623/11.11, 623/16.11, 623/18.11, 623 1711- 1716
• US Class Current: 623/17.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30744 End caps, e.g. for closing an endoprosthetic cavity
• 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 2002/30133 kidney-shaped or bean-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30616 Sets comprising a plurality of prosthetic parts of different sizes or orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30787 inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30789 perpendicular with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0015 Kidney-shaped, e.g. bean-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00017 Iron- or Fe-based alloys, e.g. stainless steel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys

Abstract

A spinal spacer assembly comprises spacer tubes of different cross sections including kidney shaped, oblong, oval and round. The spacer tubes have internal ribs for receiving top and bottom end caps. Such end caps are pressed into the top and bottom openings of the spacer tube so as to be supported on and frictionally engage the internal ribs. The end caps are flush with the tops and bottoms of the spacer tubes except for serrations on the end caps which may project outwardly therefrom.

Claims

1. A spinal spacer tube assembly comprising:

(a) a spacer tube that is open at each end, said tube comprising;

(i) a side wall including a plurality of openings therethrough;

(ii) a first longitudinal internal rib within the spacer tube, said rib including a pair of first rib sides and a pair of first rib ends;

(iii) a second longitudinal internal rib within the spacer tube, said rib including a pair of second rib sides and a pair of second rib ends;

(b) a pair of end caps, each of which comprises;

(i) a pair of spaced support posts having a support surface therebetween, said pair of support posts being adapted to be placed over a first internal rib within the spacer tube so that the support posts are adjacent to the first rib sides and the support surface engages a first rib end in a load bearing relationship;

(ii) a pair of friction prongs that are adapted to engage the second rib sides of a second internal rib;

wherein at least one of the end caps includes a plurality of serrations that extend beyond the end of the spinal spacer tube when the end cap is installed thereon.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one serration has a height that is different from the height of another serration.