US 12,251,321 B2
Expandable intervertebral implant
Daniel Davenport, Collegeville, PA (US); Chad Glerum, Pennsburg, PA (US); Mark Weiman, Downingtown, PA (US); Duncan Sibson, Malvern, PA (US); and Andrew Iott, Newtown Square, PA (US)
Assigned to Globus Medical, Inc., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed by GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed on Feb. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/173,964.
Application 18/173,964 is a continuation of application No. 17/009,955, filed on Sep. 2, 2020, granted, now 11,612,495.
Application 17/009,955 is a continuation of application No. 16/144,243, filed on Sep. 27, 2018, granted, now 10,786,364, issued on Sep. 29, 2020.
Application 16/144,243 is a continuation of application No. 13/775,731, filed on Feb. 25, 2013, granted, now 10,117,754, issued on Nov. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0218406 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61B 17/86 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4455 (2013.01) [A61F 2/442 (2013.01); A61B 17/86 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30507 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30525 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30556 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30787 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30904 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A joint spacer for therapeutically maintaining a separation of bones of a joint, comprising:
a frame having a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and distal and proximal ends, the distal and proximal ends defining a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the first lateral side and the second lateral side defining a width of the frame;
a carriage having a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and distal and proximal ends, the carriage slideably positionable within the frame, the carriage having at least one ramped surface and a threaded portion, the first lateral side of the carriage and the second lateral side of the carriage defining a width of the carriage, wherein the width of the carriage is approximate the width of the frame;
an actuator screw threadably engaged with said carriage threaded portion, said actuator screw configured to bear against said frame to cause said carriage to slideably move within said frame when said actuator screw is rotated;
a first endplate configured to engage a first bone of the joint, and having at least one ramped surface mateable with said at least one carriage ramped surface; and
a second endplate configured to engage a second bone of the joint;
wherein said carriage includes at least one additional ramped surface, and said second endplate includes at least one ramped surface mateable with said at least one additional ramped surface of said carriage,
wherein when said carriage is slideably moved by rotation of said actuator screw, said at least one second endplate ramped surface slides against said at least one additional carriage ramped surface to cause said second endplate to move along an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis to increase a height of the spacer, and
wherein the first endplate and the second endplate are capable of moving with respect to the frame.