Granted Patent B2

US 12,274,429 · App. 18/168,371 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Inventors: Byron Riemhofer (San Diego, CA); Andrew Morris (San Diego, CA)

Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.

A61B17/0218A61B17/02A61B17/0206A61B17/7082F16D21/02A61B2017/00393

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. A method comprising:

adjusting a selector of an assembly to a position associated with an adjustable member of a plurality of adjustable members in the assembly and in response to adjusting the selector to the position, coupling a linking member with the adjustable member; and

rotating a drive mechanism coupled with the linking member to adjust the adjustable member,

wherein the assembly is configured to couple with a surgical retractor to adjust one or more arms of the surgical retractor in response to rotation of the drive mechanism,

wherein the selector is configured to receive a shaft and the drive mechanism includes a drive gear coupled to the shaft,

wherein coupling the linking member with the adjustable member includes linearly moving the linking member radially outward from a first position to a second position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the linking member is a first linking member and the position is associated with the adjustable member, the first linking member, and a second linking member coupled to the adjustable member.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein coupling the linking member with the adjustable member includes engaging the first linking member with the second linking member in response to adjusting the selector to the position associated with the adjustable member.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first linking member and the second linking member are configured to rotate in response to rotating the drive mechanism when the first linking member is engaged with the second linking member.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the selector to the position engages the selector with the linking member.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable member of the plurality of adjustable members is a first adjustable member and the position associated with the adjustable member is a position associated with the first adjustable member and a second adjustable member of the plurality of adjustable members.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the linking member is a linking member associated with the first adjustable member and adjusting the selector to the position causes the linking member associated with the first adjustable member to couple with the first adjustable member and a second linking member associated with the second adjustable member to couple with the second adjustable member.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the selector to the position associated with the adjustable member of the plurality of adjustable members includes adjusting the selector to a first position associated with a first adjustable member and the method further comprises:

adjusting the selector from the first position to a second position associated with a second adjustable member of the plurality of adjustable members.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the linking member is a linking member associated with the first adjustable member and in response to adjusting the selector from the first position to the second position:

decoupling the linking member associated with the first adjustable member from the first adjustable member; and

coupling a second linking member associated with the second adjustable member with the second adjustable member.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

coupling an articulating arm with the assembly.

11. A method comprising:

adjusting a selector to a position associated with a first arm of a plurality of arms of a surgical retractor and in response to adjusting the selector to the position, coupling a linking member with the first arm; and

rotating a drive mechanism to adjust the linking member, wherein rotating the drive mechanism adjusts the first arm relative to the selector between a first position and a second position,

wherein the selector is configured to receive a shaft and the drive mechanism includes a drive gear coupled to the shaft.

12. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the linking member is a linking member associated with the first arm,

wherein the position of the selector is associated with the first arm, the linking member associated with the first arm, a second arm of the plurality of arms of the surgical retractor, and a second linking member associated with the second arm, and

wherein rotating the drive mechanism adjusts the first arm between a first position and a second position and the second arm between a first position and a second position.

13. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the linking member is a linking member associated with the first arm,

wherein the position is a first position and the method further comprises:

adjusting the selector from the first position to a second position, the second position is associated with a second arm of the plurality of arms of the surgical retractor and in response to adjusting the selector from the first position to the second position:

decoupling the linking member associated with the first arm from the first arm; and

coupling a second linking member associated with the second arm with the second arm.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

while the linking member associated with the second arm is coupled with the second arm, rotating the drive mechanism to adjust the linking member associated with the second arm and a position of the second arm.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

adjusting the selector from the second position to a third position, the third position is associated with a third arm of the plurality of arms of the surgical retractor and in response to adjusting the selector from the second position to the third position:

decoupling the second linking member associated with the second arm from the second arm; and

coupling a third linking member associated with the third arm with the third arm.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

while the linking member associated with the third arm is coupled with the third arm, rotating the drive mechanism to adjust the linking member associated with third arm and a position of the third arm in a first direction,

wherein adjusting the first arm between the first position and the second position is in a second direction transverse to the first direction.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (58)