IP Library Granted Patent US 12,629,261
Granted Patent B1
US 12,629,261 · App. 19/004,491 · Granted May 19, 2026

Implant

Inventors: Kuo-Yi Yang (Hsinchu City, TW); Pei-I Tsai (Hsinchu City, TW); Kuo-Kuei Huang (Hsinchu County, TW); Shin-I Huang (Hsinchu City, TW); Shu-Fen Yeh (New Taipei City, TW); Shih-Ping Lin (Kaohsiung City, TW); Den-Tai Lin (Hsinchu City, TW); Wei-Lun Fan (Miaoli County, TW)
Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
A61F2/44A61F2002/30011A61F2002/30225A61F2002/30327A61F2002/30477A61F2002/4435
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,629,261
App. No.
19/004,491
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

An implant is provided, and the implant includes a body, a limiting portion and a filling portion. The body has a first end portion, a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and a middle portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion. The limiting portion includes a first solid structure and is located at the first end portion. The filling part includes an elastic structure and is located from the middle portion to the second end portion. A diameter of the first end portion of the body is greater than a diameter of the middle portion, and a diameter of the second end portion is greater than the diameter of the middle portion.

Claims (36)

1 . An implant for repairing an intervertebral annulus fibrosus, comprising:

a body having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion;

a limiting portion comprising a first solid structure and being located at the first end portion; and

a filling portion comprising an elastic structure and a porous structure in the elastic structure, and being located between the middle portion and the second end portion, wherein the elastic structure comprises:

a first region adjacent to the first end portion and having a first porosity;

a second region adjacent to the second end portion and having a second porosity; and

a third region disposed between the first region and the second region and having a third porosity,

wherein the third porosity of the third region is greater than the first porosity of the first region,

wherein a ratio of the first solid structure to the elastic structure is in a range of from 1:1 to 1:8; and

wherein a diameter of the first end portion of the body is greater than a diameter of the middle portion, and a diameter of the second end portion is greater than the diameter of the middle portion.

2 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the porous structure comprises a hole structure, a regular grid structure, an irregular grid structure, or a combination thereof.

3 . The implant of claim 2 , wherein the porous structure is a gradient porous structure.

4 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein pore sizes of a plurality of pores in the porous structure are in a range of from 200 micrometers to 600 micrometers.

5 . The implant of claim 1 , further comprising:

a channel disposed within the body of the implant and extending through the body.

6 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the third porosity is greater than both the first porosity and the second porosity.

7 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the filling portion further comprises a hollow structure.

8 . The implant of claim 7 , wherein the hollow structure comprises a fence structure, a regular grid structure, or a combination thereof.

9 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of a junction between the first end portion and the middle portion of the implant comprises an anchoring structure, and the anchoring structure comprises at least one barb unit, and

the at least one barb unit comprises a fixed end and a free end opposite to the fixed end, and the fixed end is connected to the outer surface of the junction, and the free end extends toward a direction of the middle portion of the implant.

10 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the filling portion located at the second end portion comprises a second solid structure.

11 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the filling portion further comprises:

a retracted portion having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein the first end is connected to the limiting portion, and wherein the retracted portion has a minimum diameter, the limiting portion has a first maximum diameter, and the first maximum diameter is greater than the minimum diameter; and

an opening portion connected to the second end of the retracted portion, wherein the opening portion has a second maximum diameter, and the second maximum diameter is greater than the minimum diameter.

12 . The implant of claim 11 , wherein the limiting portion has a disc-shaped structure.

13 . The implant of claim 11 , wherein the opening portion comprises an against unit, and the against unit is disposed around an outer surface of the retracted portion and extends to an outer surface of the opening portion, and

wherein the against unit comprises a connecting rod portion and a limiting against portion integrally formed with the connecting rod portion.

14 . The implant of claim 13 , wherein:

the connecting rod portion is in contact with the outer surface of the opening portion; or

the limiting against portion and the outer surface of the retracted portion are spaced apart from each other.

15 . The implant of claim 14 , wherein the retracted portion further comprises:

a third solid structure adjacent to the limiting portion; and

a fourth solid structure adjacent to the limiting against portion, wherein a diameter of the fourth solid structure is greater than the minimum diameter of the retracted portion.

16 . The implant of claim 15 , wherein the limiting against portion is against a surface of the fourth solid structure.

17 . The implant of claim 11 , wherein the opening portion comprises at least two arms, and the at least two arms are laterally collapsed or expanded relative to a central axis of the opening portion.

18 . The implant of claim 17 , wherein the at least two arms are equidistantly or non-equidistantly disposed around an outer periphery of the opening portion of the filling portion.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2025
From: YANG, KUO-YI; TSAI, PEI-I; HUANG, KUO-KUEI; HUANG, SHIN-I; YEH, SHU-FEN; LIN, SHIH-PING; LIN, DEN-TAI; FAN, WEI-LUN
To: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Reel/Frame 070402/0053 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 113150957 · Dec 26, 2024 · national
References Cited (44)
US 6846327B2 · Khandkar · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 9877846B2 · Dvorak et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10046084B2 · Altschuler et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10799361B2 · Hauser et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20030074075A1 · Thomas, Jr. · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 20030078579A1 · Ferree · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20030149483A1 · Michelson · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20040039392A1 · Trieu · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20070162131A1 · Friedman · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20080065218A1 · O'Neil · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20080140108A1 · Matsuura et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080208344A1 · Kilpela et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20110029016A1 · Yeung et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110153022A1 · Singhatat et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110282456A1 · Shafrir et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120316654A1 · Seifert et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130274882A1 · Guizzardi et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20150305884A1 · VonGunten · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20170143505A1 · O'Halloran et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20210077266A1 · Hibri et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220062007A1 · Seifert et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230058045A1 · Park · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230210672A1 · Nie et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20240099854A1 · Hibri et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
CN 102036613B · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 102988122A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
CN 216221881U · 2022 [cited by applicant]
CN 115364271A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
CN 219126894U · 2023 [cited by applicant]
CN 118236206A · 2024 [cited by applicant]
JP 6963859B1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
TW 200924725A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
TW 200927062A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
TW 201720388A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2008045638A2 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
WO 2023059887A1 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
Mitchell I. Page et al., “Biomechanical evaluation of a novel repair strategy for intervertebral disc herniation in an ovine lumbar spine model,” Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Oct. 25, 2022, 15 pages. [cited by applicant]
Yangbin Wang et al., “Annulus Fibrosus Repair for Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Meta-Analysis of Clinical Outcomes From Controlled Studies,” Global Spine Journal, Jan. 2024, vol. 14(1), pp. 306-321. [cited by applicant]
Pierce Nunley et al., “Lumbar Discectomy With Bone-Anchored Annular Closure Device in Patients With Large Annular Defects: One-Year Results,” Cureus, Jun. 9, 2023, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
Larry E Miller et al., “Expert review with meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies of Barricaid annular closure in patients at high risk for lumbar disc reherniation,” Expert Review Medical Devi… [cited by applicant]
Kresten Rickers et al., “Biomechanical evaluation of annulus fibrosus repair with scaffold and soft anchors in an ex vivo porcine model,” Sicot J., Sep. 7, 2018, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Dan Zhou et al., “Design principles in mechanically adaptable biomaterials for repairing annulus fibrosus rupture: A review,” Bioactive Materials, in Jan. 2024, vol. 31, pp. 422-439. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance of corresponding application TW113150957 issued on Jun. 19, 2025. (7 pages). [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report of corresponding application EP24223486.2 issued on May 27, 2025. (14 pages). [cited by applicant]