Coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism

• US 9,358,125 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2010
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SpineX Tec, LLC
• Original Assignee: SpineX Tec, LLC
• Inventors: Jimenez, Omar F., Powley, Nicholas Ransom, Fischer, Andrew G., Safris, Yefim
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelleher, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHENG, EMILY W
• Application Number:
  US12/841,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• Field of Search: 74/892.3, 74/892.7, 74/893.4, 74/891.4, 74/893.5, 254/425, 254/89.R, 254/92, 254/98, 254/102, 254/103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7065 Devices with changeable shape, e.g. collapsible or having retractable arms to aid implantation; Tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0256 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/681 Alignment, compression, or distraction mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/385 also provided with condylar bearing surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3868 with sliding tibial bearing
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4455 for the fusion of spinal bodies, e.g. intervertebral fusion of adjacent spinal bodies, e.g. fusion cages intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• 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 2/447 substantially parallelepipedal, e.g. having a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4611 of spinal prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/482 Electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2835 Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30235 tubular, e.g. sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30405 made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30426 Bayonet coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30523 by means of meshing gear teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30525 Worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30556 for adjusting thickness
• 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 2002/30601 : telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30604 : modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30624 : Hinged joint, e.g. with transverse axle restricting the movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30639 : having rolling elements between both articulating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3082 : Grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 : Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30904 : serrated profile, i.e. saw-toothed
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30925 : etched
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3631 : with an integral complete or partial peripheral collar or bearing shoulder at its base
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/448 : comprising multiple adjacent spinal implants within the same intervertebral space or within the same vertebra, e.g. comprising two adjacent spinal implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4628 : with linear motion along or rotating motion about an axis transverse to the instrument axis or to the implantation direction, e.g. clamping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4629 : connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5041 : having bearing bushes between the rotating parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5069 : Ball bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/507 : Roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 : Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0009 : for adjusting thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 : Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00029 : Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00796 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. hydroxy(l)apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00976 : Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of proteins or of polypeptides, e.g. of bone morphogenic proteins BMP or of transforming growth factors TGF
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00982 : Coating made of collagen
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00988 : Coating made of fibrin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00994 : Coating made of gelatin
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/2046 : with gears arranged perpendicular to screw shaft axis, e.g. helical gears engaging tangentially the screw shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/2084 : Perpendicular arrangement of drive motor to screw axis
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/209 : using worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/20 : Screw mechanisms with automatic reversal F16H25/12
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/2056 : Telescopic screws with at least three screw members in coaxial arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/2214 : with elements for guiding the circulating balls
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 : Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18608 : Single input split into two intermediate outputs that are subsequently superposed into a single output
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18672 : Plural screws in series [e.g., telescoping, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19702 : Screw and nut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19749 : Recirculating rolling elements

Abstract

An improved mechanism for expanding or lifting a device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention is a coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism. In various embodiments, coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanisms includes a post with a threaded exterior surface and a corresponding sleeve configured to surround the post, the corresponding sleeve having a threaded interior surface configured to interface with the threaded exterior surface of the post and a geared exterior surface. A drive mechanism can be configured to interface with the geared exterior surface of the sleeve, causing a device utilizing such a mechanism to expand or lift between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration.

Claims

1. A coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism comprising:

a first member and a second member each having an inner surface configured to face the inner surface of the other;

a post having a threaded exterior surface on a portion of the post; and

a corresponding sleeve configured to surround the post and having;

a threaded interior surface on a portion of the sleeve configured to directly interface with the threaded exterior surface of the post; and

a geared exterior surface on a portion of the sleeve; and

a drive mechanism having a surface configured to interface with and drive the geared exterior surface of the sleeve,

such that selective operation of the drive mechanism causes a simultaneous expansion of the sleeve relative to the drive mechanism and the post relative to the sleeve, and

wherein the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism includes a pair of said posts each with a said corresponding sleeve both simultaneously driven by the drive mechanism, and

wherein each of the pair of posts has an end attached to and extending from the inner surface of the first member,

the drive mechanism is a worm drive having a pair of threaded sections, each threaded section configured to interface with only one of the sleeves when the drive mechanism is operated, and

the second member includes a unitary body defining a pair of threaded sleeve openings in the inner surface each sized to rotatingly accommodate one of the sleeves therein,

the body further defining a drive mechanism aperture sized to rotatingly contain the drive mechanism therein,

wherein each of the threaded sections of the drive mechanism interfaces with the corresponding sleeve through a separate aperture in the body between the drive mechanism aperture and the sleeve openings.

2. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 1, wherein the geared exterior surface of the sleeve has a screw pitch orientation generally opposite of a screw pitch orientation of the threaded exterior surface of the post and the threaded interior surface of the sleeve.

3. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 1, wherein both the threaded interior surface and geared exterior surface of one of the sleeves have a screw pitch orientation generally opposite of a screw pitch orientation of both the threaded interior surface and geared exterior surface of the other sleeve.

4. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 1, wherein the threaded interior surface of the sleeve and the geared exterior surface of the sleeve are formed on a unitary body of the sleeve.

5. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 1, wherein the threaded interior surface of the sleeve and the geared exterior surface of the sleeve are positioned in a generally back to back relation to each other.

6. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 1, wherein a widest portion of the sleeve is defined by the geared exterior surface of the sleeve.

7. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 1, wherein the portion of the sleeve having a threaded interior surface extends for an entire length of the sleeve.

8. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member each have a length that is greater than a height of the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism when the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism is in a compressed state.

9. A coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism comprising:

a first member and a second member each having an inner surface configured to face the inner surface of the other;

a threaded post;

a corresponding sleeve having an interior thread directly mating with the threaded post and an exterior gear; and

a drive mechanism mating with the exterior gear of the sleeve to cause a simultaneous expansion of the sleeve relative to the drive mechanism and the post relative to the sleeve, and

wherein the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism includes a pair of said threaded posts each with a said corresponding sleeve having an exterior gear that both mate with the drive mechanism, and wherein

each of the pair of posts has an end attached to and extending from the inner surface of the first member towards the second member;

the drive mechanism is a worm drive having a pair of threaded sections, each threaded section configured to interface with only one of the sleeves when the drive mechanism is operated, and

the first member and the second member each have a length that is greater than a height of the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism when the coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism is in a compressed state.

10. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 9, wherein the exterior gear of the sleeve has a screw pitch orientation generally opposite of a screw pitch orientation of the threaded post and the interior thread of the sleeve.

11. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 9, wherein both the interior thread and exterior gear of one of the sleeves have a screw pitch orientation generally opposite of a screw pitch orientation of both the interior thread and exterior gear of the other sleeve.

12. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 9, wherein the interior thread of the sleeve and the exterior gear of the sleeve are formed on a unitary body of the sleeve.

13. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 9, wherein the interior thread of the sleeve and the exterior gear of the sleeve are positioned in a generally back to back relation to each other.

14. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 9, wherein a widest portion of the sleeve is defined by the exterior gear of the sleeve.

15. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 9, wherein the interior thread of the sleeve extends for an entire length of the sleeve.

16. The coaxial screw gear sleeve mechanism of claim 9, wherein:

the second member includes a unitary body defining a pair of threaded sleeve openings in the inner surface each sized to rotatingly accommodate one of the sleeves therein, the body further defining a drive mechanism aperture sized to rotatingly accommodate the drive mechanism therein, and wherein the drive mechanism interfaces with the sleeves through apertures in the body between the drive mechanism aperture and the sleeve openings.