US 11,986,219 B2
Growing rod for treating spinal deformities and method for using same
Joshua Charest, Philadelphia, PA (US); Michael Meccariello, Phoenixville, PA (US); Francis Torrente, King of Prussia, PA (US); Derrick Bingaman, Collegeville, PA (US); Jeffrey David Gordon, Phoenixville, PA (US); and Jeff Nichols, Medford, NJ (US)
Assigned to Globus Medical, Inc., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed by GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed on Jan. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/569,588.
Application 17/569,588 is a continuation of application No. 16/590,421, filed on Oct. 2, 2019, granted, now 11,259,844.
Application 16/590,421 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/238,864, filed on Jan. 3, 2019, granted, now 11,071,568, issued on Jul. 27, 2021.
Application 16/238,864 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/243,218, filed on Aug. 22, 2016, granted, now 10,226,281, issued on Mar. 12, 2019.
Application 15/243,218 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/874,771, filed on Oct. 5, 2015, granted, now 9,949,759, issued on Apr. 24, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0125482 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 17/70 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/7025 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00367 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An implantable growing rod assembly comprising:
a housing;
an internally threaded expansion tube mounted inside of the housing;
a fixed rod extending along a longitudinal axis away from the housing;
an expansion rod extendible from the housing along the longitudinal axis; and
a bevel gear assembly disposed in the housing and adapted to translate the expansion rod along the longitudinal axis, wherein the bevel gear assembly comprises:
a bevel pinion gear having a first set of teeth at an upper end and a first set of ratcheting teeth at a bottom end,
a lock gear disposed below and coaxial to the bevel pinion gear, wherein the lock gear includes a second set of teeth at a bottom end and a second set of ratcheting teeth at an upper end, the second set of ratcheting teeth configured to mesh with the first set of ratcheting teeth; and
a bevel output gear perpendicular to the bevel pinion gear and the lock gear, wherein the bevel output gear includes a third set of teeth that mesh with the first set of teeth of the bevel pinion gear such that rotation of the bevel pinion gear causes rotation of the bevel output gear, and
wherein rotation of the bevel pinion gear and lock gear is prevented when the lock gear is in the first position.