US20050278028A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Expandable helical cage
Assignee: Zimmer Spine Inc
•
Filing: 2004-06-09
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2024-06-09
Abstract
Abstract An expandable implant having a helical body and first and second securing pieces. Ends of the helical body are connected to the first and second end pieces. The first and second end pieces can be rotated relative to one another to expand the implant from a first dimension to a selected second dimension. The implant further includes a locking arrangement to maintain the implant at the selected second dimension.
Inventors
- 👤 James Mujwid
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 01:52
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/44; A61F2/4455; A61F2/446; A61F2/30721; A61F2/30744; A61F2/442; A61F2/46; A61F2/4603; A61F2/4611; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30003; A61F2002/3006; A61F2002/30062; A61F2002/30108; A61F2002/30199; A61F2002/30289; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30329; A61F2002/30476; A61F2002/30507; A61F2002/30535; A61F2002/30537; A61F2002/30545; A61F2002/3055; A61F2002/30579; A61F2/30767; A61F2/30771; A61F2002/30772; A61F2002/30774; A61F2210/00; A61F2210/0004; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0025; A61F2250/00; A61F2250/0004; A61F2250/0007; A61F2250/001; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00011; A61F2310/00017; A61F2310/00023; A61F2310/00161; A61F2310/00173
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
1 . An expandable intervertebral implant, comprising: a) a first securing piece and a second securing piece; b) an helical body having a first end and a second end, the first end of the helical body being connected to the first securing piece and the second end of the helical body being connected to the second securing piece; c) a locking arrangement configured to selectively lock the second securing piece in a rotational orientation relative to the first securing piece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
80 words
1 . An expandable intervertebral implant, comprising: a) a first securing piece and a second securing piece; b) an helical body having a first end and a second end, the first end of the helical body being connected to the first securing piece and the second end of the helical body being connected to the second securing piece; c) a locking arrangement configured to selectively lock the second securing piece in a rotational orientation relative to the first securing piece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
2 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the helical body is configured to radially expand from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration by rotating the first securing piece relative to the second securing piece in a direction to unwind the helical body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
3 . The implant of claim 2 , wherein the helical body is in a relaxed state when in the non-expanded configuration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
4 . The implant of claim 2 , wherein the helical body is in a wound state when in the non-expanded configuration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
5 . The implant of claim 2 , wherein a length of the implant remains the same when in the non-expanded configuration and when in the expanded configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
6 . The implant claim 1 , wherein the locking arrangement is configured to lock the second piece relative to the first piece in one of a plurality of rotational orientations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
7 . The implant of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of rotational orientations corresponds to one of a plurality of expanded configurations, each of the expanded configurations having a different expansion dimension.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
8 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the locking arrangement includes a shaft interconnected to the second securing piece and a corresponding aperture formed in the first securing piece, the shaft and aperture being configured to engage and lock the second securing piece in the rotational orientation relative to the first securing piece.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
9 . The implant of claim 8 , wherein the shaft is hex-shaped and configured to lock the second securing piece relative to the first securing piece in one of a plurality of incremental rotational orientations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
10 . The implant of claim 8 , wherein the locking arrangement further includes a fastener configured to axially secure the second securing device relative to the first securing device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
11 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the first securing piece includes a handling arrangement for handling the implant during a surgical procedure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
12 . A method of expanding an expandable intervertebral implant, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an implant having a helical body connected to a first end cap and a second end cap; b) inserting the implant a an implant site; c) radially expanding the implant by rotating the first end cap relative to the second end cap such that the helical body radially expands from a first configuration to a second configuration; and d) locking the implant in the second configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
12 . A method of expanding an expandable intervertebral implant, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an implant having a helical body connected to a first end cap and a second end cap; b) inserting the implant a an implant site; c) radially expanding the implant by rotating the first end cap relative to the second end cap such that the helical body radially expands from a first configuration to a second configuration; and d) locking the implant in the second configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of rotating the first end cap relative to the second end cap includes unwinding the helical body of the implant to radially expand the helical body from the first configuration to the second configuration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of unwinding the helical body of the implant includes unwinding the body from the first configuration, wherein the body is in a relaxed state, to the second configuration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of unwinding the helical body of the implant includes unwinding the body from the first configuration, wherein the body is in a wound state, to the second configuration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of expanding the implant includes disengaging a locking arrangement of the implant such that the first end cap is free to rotate relative to the second end cap.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
17 . The method of claim 16 , further including maintaining the rotational position of the second end cap while rotating the first end cap.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of locking the implant in the second configuration includes engaging the locking arrangement of the implant such that the first end cap is rotationally fixed relative to the second end cap.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of locking the implant further includes locking the first end cap in an axially position relative to the second end cap.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of expanding the implant includes incrementally expanding the implant by rotating the first end cap to one of a plurality of rotational orientations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1472782A
Cited
US1621428A
Cited
US1923435A
Cited
US2708110A
Cited
US4118020A
Cited
US20030149482A1
Cited
US4932975A
Cited
US5055104A
Cited
US5390683A
Cited
US5423816A
Cited
US5423817A
Cited
US5368283A
Cited
US5980522A
Cited
US6342076B1
Cited
US6129763A
Cited
US20010051829A1
Cited
US6436140B1
Cited
US6436142B1
Cited
US6174334B1
Cited
US6436139B1
Cited
US6558423B1
Cited
US6419705B1
Cited
US20020128716A1
Cited
US6454806B1
Cited
US6821298B1
Cited
US6500205B1
Cited
US6454807B1
Cited
US6443989B1
Cited
US20020068977A1
Cited
US6773460B2
Cited
US6849093B2
Cited
US20020143401A1
Cited
US20020161444A1
Cited
US6451057B1
Cited
US20040119216A1
Cited
US6685742B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.