US 11,752,009 B2
Expandable intervertebral fusion cage
Jonathan Melchor, Providence, RI (US)
Assigned to Medos International Sarl
Filed by Medos International Sarl, Le Locle (CH)
Filed on Apr. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/223,504.
Prior Publication US 2022/0313452 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4465 (2013.01) [A61F 2002/30266 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30289 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30331 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30405 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30556 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30579 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An expandable intervertebral fusion cage for insertion in an intervertebral space defined between a superior vertebral body and an inferior vertebral body, the fusion cage comprising:
an upper endplate member defining an upper bone contacting surface configured to abut the superior vertebral body;
a lower endplate member defining a lower bone contacting surface configured to abut the inferior vertebral body, wherein the upper and lower bone contacting surfaces are opposite each other along a transverse direction;
a wedge member having at least one ramp surface;
a drive member that extends along a curved central axis, whereby the wedge member is supported by the drive member; and
an actuator that is configured to cause the drive member to drive the wedge member to translate in a corresponding expansion direction along the curved central axis without relative rotation between the wedge member and the drive member, which causes the ramp surface of the wedge member to urge at least one of the upper and lower endplate members away from the other of the upper and lower endplate members along the transverse direction.