Granted Patent B1

US 9,622,876 · App. 13/870,584 · Granted Apr 18, 2017

Inventors: E. Skott Greenhalgh (Lower Gwynedd, PA); John-Paul Romano (Chalfont, PA)

Assignee: Theken Spine, LLC

A61F2/4425A61F2/447A61F2/4455A61B17/8852A61F2002/443A61F2002/4475

Abstract

Claims (53)

1. An implantable device, comprising:

a central mechanism comprising a proximal ring structure and a distal ring structure, said proximal ring structure and said distal ring structure interacting to form a mechanism such that said proximal ring structure and said distal ring structure can translate toward and away from each other along a longitudinal axis; and

wherein said proximal ring structure includes a proximal ring structure opening between a first end and an opposing second end along said longitudinal axis, wherein said first end includes a first ramp and said second end includes a second ramp,

wherein said distal ring structure includes a distal ring structure opening between a first end and an opposing second end along said longitudinal axis, wherein said first end of said distal ring structure translates along said longitudinal axis within said proximal ring structure opening between said first end and said second end of said proximal ring structure, and said second end of said distal ring structure translates along said longitudinal axis outside both said first end and said second end of said proximal ring structure,

a first endplate having a central opening, wherein said first endplate is suitable to bear against a vertebra, wherein said central opening includes a perimeter defined in part by at least two longitudinal sides substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis and at least two opposing lateral sides transverse to said longitudinal axis, said first endplate having a first end adjacent one of said lateral sides of said central opening and extending longitudinally therefrom proximally along said longitudinal axis and an opposing second end adjacent the other of said lateral sides of said central opening and extending longitudinally therefrom distally along said longitudinal axis, wherein said first end includes a first complementary structure and said second end includes a second complementary structure;

wherein said first ramp comprises a receiving structure capable of engaging said first complementary structure,

wherein said second ramp comprises a protruding structure capable of engaging said second complementary structure.

2. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said protruding structure of said second ramp is a T-shaped projection.

3. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said receiving structure of said first ramp is a T-shaped groove.

4. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said protruding structure of said second ramp is a dovetail-shaped projection.

5. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said receiving structure of said first ramp is a dovetail-shaped groove.

6. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said receiving structure of said first ramp engages said first complementary structure so as to prevent disassembly motion perpendicular to said first ramp.

7. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said protruding structure of said second ramp engages said second complementary structure so as to prevent disassembly motion perpendicular to said second ramp.

8. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said receiving structure of said first ramp engages said first complementary structure in a way that does not prevent disassembly motion perpendicular to said first ramp.

9. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said protruding structure of said second ramp engages said second complementary structure in a way that does not prevent disassembly motion perpendicular to said second ramp.

10. The implantable device of claim 1 , wherein said first ramp extends continuously across a centerplane,

wherein said proximal ring structure opening of said proximal ring structure is bounded in part by two opposed sides between said first end and said second end of said proximal ring structure,

wherein said second ramp comprises two side ramp surfaces, said two side ramp surfaces being located respectively on said opposed sides of said proximal ring structure, said two side ramps being on opposite sides of said centerplane and not intersecting said centerplane, said side ramp surfaces being coplanar with each other in a common plane.

11. The implantable device of claim 10 , wherein said common plane is parallel to said first ramp but not coplanar with said first ramp.

12. The implantable device of claim 1 , further comprising a third ramp surface that is not coplanar with said second ramp surface and does not have an engagement feature.

13. The implantable device of claim 1 wherein said first ramp is parallel to said second ramp.

14. A spinal interbody device, comprising:

a proximal ring structure having a proximal ring structure opening therethrough, said proximal ring structure opening having a proximal ring structure opening direction;

a distal ring structure having a distal ring structure opening therethrough;

an actuation mechanism suitable to cause relative motion between said proximal ring structure and said distal ring structure along a longitudinal axis, said relative motion including at least relative translation along a first motion direction along said longitudinal axis,

wherein, at any permitted relative position of said proximal ring structure and said distal ring structure, when viewed along said proximal ring structure opening direction, said proximal ring structure opening and said distal ring structure opening partially but not completely overlap with each other;

a first endplate and a second endplate, wherein said first endplate and said second endplate are opposed to each other and are suitable to bear against respective vertebrae;

wherein said relative motion between said proximal ring structure and said distal ring structure causes at least one of said first and second endplates to move toward or away from said proximal ring structure or said distal ring structure in a second motion direction different from said first motion direction, and

wherein, in at least one cross-section taken in a first plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, there is in sequence progressing in a lateral direction said proximal ring structure followed by said distal ring structure followed by some empty space followed by said distal ring structure followed by said proximal ring structure,

wherein, in another at least one cross-section taken in a second plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, there is in sequence progressing in said lateral direction said distal ring structure followed by said proximal ring structure followed by some empty space followed by said proximal ring structure followed by said distal ring structure.

15. The spinal interbody device of claim 14 , wherein said device has a central opening therethrough generally along a vertical direction, said central opening being bounded in sequence around its perimeter by a first end, a first side, a second end and a second side,

wherein in said sequence, said central opening is bounded on said first end by said proximal ring structure; then, on said first side adjacent to said first end, said central opening is bounded first by said proximal ring structure and then is bounded by said distal ring structure; then, on said second end, said central opening is bounded by said distal ring structure; then, on said second side, said central opening is bounded first by said distal ring structure and then by said proximal ring structure.

16. An implantable device, comprising:

a first structure having a first structure proximal end and a first structure distal end, said first structure having a first structure ramp on said first structure proximal end;

a second structure having a second structure proximal end and a second structure distal end, said second structure being in movable relation to said first structure, said movable relation including at least translation in a first direction, wherein said second structure has an urging structure;

wherein said first structure and said second structure define an open region therethrough perpendicular to said first direction;

a first endplate, said first endplate having an endplate ramp complementary to said first structure ramp, said first endplate having a face suitable to bear against a vertebra, said face having a central opening therethrough in communication with said open region, said central opening having an internal perimeter surface,

wherein, in at least one direction of motion, said urging structure bears against said internal perimeter surface of said central opening of said first endplate;

said device includes a proximal end and an opposing distal end, wherein said open region is between said proximal end and said opposing distal end, wherein said device proximal end includes said first structure proximal end and said second structure proximal end and said device distal end includes said first structure distal end and said second structure distal end; and

an actuation mechanism connecting said first structure proximal end to said second structure proximal end, wherein said translation of said first structure relative to said second structure in said first direction causes motion of said first endplate away from said first structure, and translation of said first structure relative to said second structure in a second direction opposed to said first direction causes said first endplate to move toward said first structure.

17. The implantable device of claim 16 , wherein said actuation mechanism does not cross said open region into said first structure distal end and said second structure distal end.

18. The implantable device of claim 16 , wherein said at least one direction of motion of said first endplate relative to said first structure is also caused by a surface of a distally located portion of said second structure pushing on a distal surface of said first endplate.

19. The implantable device of claim 16 , wherein said first endplate has a stability bar depending from said first endplate away from said face of said first endplate,

wherein, in said at least one direction of motion, said urging structure bears against an external surface of said stability bar of said first endplate.

20. The implantable device of claim 16 further comprising a guide mechanism, wherein said guide mechanism connects said first structure distal end to said second structure distal end.

21. A spinal interbody device, comprising:

a proximal ring structure having a proximal ring structure opening therethrough, said proximal ring structure opening having a proximal ring structure opening direction;

a distal ring structure having a distal ring structure opening therethrough;

an actuation mechanism suitable to cause relative motion between said proximal ring structure and said distal ring structure along a longitudinal axis, said relative motion including at least relative translation along a first motion direction along said longitudinal axis,

wherein, at any permitted relative position of said proximal ring structure and said distal ring structure, when viewed along said proximal ring structure opening direction, said proximal ring structure opening and said distal ring structure opening partially but not completely overlap with each other;

a first endplate and a second endplate, wherein said first endplate and said second endplate are opposed to each other and are suitable to bear against respective vertebrae;

wherein said relative motion between said proximal ring structure and said distal ring structure causes at least one of said first and second endplates to move toward or away from said proximal ring structure or said distal ring structure in a second motion direction different from said first motion direction, and

wherein said device has a central opening therethrough generally along a vertical direction, said central opening being bounded in sequence around its perimeter by a first end, a first side, a second end and a second side, wherein in said sequence, said central opening is bounded on said first end by said proximal ring structure; then, on said first side adjacent to said first end, said central opening is bounded first by said proximal ring structure and then is bounded by said distal ring structure; then, on said second end, said central opening is bounded by said distal ring structure; then, on said second side, said central opening is bounded first by said distal ring structure and then by said proximal ring structure.

Assignments (12)

Continuity (2)