Granted Patent B2

US 12,409,050 · App. 18/641,692 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Inventors: Joseph N. Logan (Trumbull, CT); Gary R. McLuen (Port Townsend, WA); Daniel R. Baker (Seattle, WA)

Assignee: Neuropro Technologies, Inc.

A61F2/447A61F2002/30266A61F2002/304A61F2002/30401A61F2002/30411A61F2002/305A61F2002/30505A61F2002/30556A61F2002/30563A61F2002/30565A61F2002/30579A61F2002/30785A61F2002/30825A61F2002/30904

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. A bone fusion device for insertion into a desired location comprising:

an extending mechanism including a plurality of extending blocks coupled with a positioning element such that movement of the positioning element causes the plurality of extending blocks to move with respect to the positioning element;

a first plate; and

a second plate, the first and second plates coupled with the plurality of extending blocks such that when the plurality of extending blocks move with respect to the positioning element, the first and second plates move along a path with respect to each other between a retracted position in which the first and second plates are adjacent to each other to an extended position in which the first and second plates are spread apart from each other, wherein a portion of the first plate directly contacted by the plurality of extending blocks changes as the plurality of extending blocks move with respect to the positioning element.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second plates are sized such that an entirety of a perimeter of the first and second plates about the path align with an outermost perimeter of the device about the path.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more biasing elements physically coupled with both of the first and second plates and positioned such that the one or more biasing elements apply a force resisting the movement of the first and second plates from the retracted position to the extended position.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the one or more biasing elements have a shape selected from the group consisting of a ring, a C-shape and a ring-shaped coil.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of extending blocks each comprise an angled surface between a left side and a right side, wherein the left sides of the plurality of extending blocks are aligned with a left face of the first and second plates and the right sides of the plurality of extending blocks are aligned with a right face of the first and second plates.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the angled surface forms a continuous sheet between the left and right sides of the plurality extending blocks in order to increase the surface area of the angled surface.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a lock coupled with the positioning element and configured to physically bias the rotational orientation of the positioning element into one of a plurality of positions.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the lock comprises one or more stoppers each having a bump and a dial having one or more dimples and coupled with the positioning element such that the dial rotates with the positioning element, wherein the bumps do not rotate with the dial and the stoppers are positioned adjacent to the dial such that, when aligned, one or more of the bumps spring into one or more of the dimples.

9. The device of claim 8 , further comprising one or more support panels coupled with the lock and the extending mechanism, wherein each of the one or more support panels are positioned within a panel aperture on each of the plates such that as the plates move between the retracted and the extended positions the plates slide up or down the panels via the panels apertures.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more support panels comprises a pair of grip tabs that protrude from the sides of the support panel into a pair of grip apertures formed by the plates when the plates are in the retracted position.

11. A bone fusion device for insertion into a desired location comprising:

an extending mechanism including one or more extending blocks coupled with a positioning element such that movement of the positioning element causes the one or more extending blocks to move with respect to the positioning element;

a first plate;

a second plate, the first and second plates straddling the extending mechanism and coupled with the one or more extending blocks such that when the one or more extending blocks move with respect to the positioning element, the first and second plates move along a path with respect to each other between a retracted position in which the first and second plates are in contact with each other to an extended position in which the plates are spread apart from and do not contact each other; and

a lock having a body that contacts the positioning element to physically bias the movement of the positioning element into one of a plurality of positions.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein when in the extended position, the first and second plates are spread apart from and do not directly contact each other.

13. The device of claim 11 , further comprising one or more biasing elements coupled with the first plate and the second plate and positioned such that in the extended position the one or more biasing elements extend from the first plate to the second plate, wherein the one or more biasing elements have a shape selected from the group consisting of a ring, a C-shape and a ring-shaped coil.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first and second plates are sized such that the entirety of the perimeter of the first and second plates about the path align with the outermost perimeter of the device about the path.

15. The device of claim 11 , wherein the bone fusion device further comprises one or more support panels coupled with the extending mechanism, wherein each of the one or more support panels are positioned within a panel aperture on each of the first and second plates such that as the first and second plates move between the retracted and the extended positions the first and second plates slide up or down the panels via the panels apertures.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more support panels comprises a pair of grip tabs that protrude from the sides of the support panel into a pair of grip apertures formed by the first and second plates when the first and second plates are in the retracted position.

17. The device of claim 11 , wherein the angled surface forms a continuous sheet between the left and right sides of the one or more extending blocks in order to increase the surface area of the angled surface.

18. The device of claim 11 , wherein the lock comprises one or more stoppers each having a bump and a dial having one or more dimples and coupled with the positioning element such that the dial rotates with the positioning element, wherein the bumps do not rotate with the dial and the stoppers are positioned adjacent to the dial such that, when aligned, one or more of the bumps spring into one or more of the dimples.

19. The device of claim 18 , further comprising one or more support panels coupled with the lock and the extending mechanism, wherein each of the support panels are positioned within a panel aperture on each of the first and second plates such that as the first and second plates move between the retracted and the extended positions the first and second plates slide up or down the panels via the panels apertures.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the one or more support panels comprises a pair of grip tabs that protrude from the sides of the support panel into a pair of grip apertures formed by the first and second plates when the first and second plates are in the retracted position.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (400)