US 12,329,657 B2
Expandable intervertebral spacers
Charles Robert Lucasiewicz, Florence, SC (US); and Craig Black, Florence, SC (US)
Assigned to DeGen Medical, Inc., Florence, SC (US)
Filed by DeGen Medical, Inc., Florence, SC (US)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/636,949.
Application 18/636,949 is a continuation of application No. 18/094,553, filed on Jan. 9, 2023, granted, now 11,963,885.
Application 18/094,553 is a continuation of application No. 17/034,983, filed on Sep. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,547,575, issued on Jan. 10, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/907,007, filed on Sep. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0261113 A1, Aug. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61F 2/28 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/447 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2846 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30265 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30579 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An expandable intervertebral spacer having a longitudinal axis, said expandable intervertebral spacer comprising:
a main body defining a first opening, a first substantially planar lateral surface, a second substantially planar lateral surface, first and second curvilinear lateral surfaces adjacent and continuous with the first substantially planar lateral surface, third and fourth curvilinear lateral surfaces adjacent and continuous with the second substantially planar lateral surface, and a plurality of openings extending through a thickness of the main body;
a driving member defining a second opening and a first plurality of steps, wherein at least one step of the first plurality of steps includes a surface that lies on a plane disposed at a non-parallel and non-perpendicular angle to the longitudinal axis;
a first endplate defining a substantially planar bottom surface;
a second endplate defining a substantially planar top surface;
an actuation member extending through the first opening and in the second opening;
wherein rotational movement of the actuation member moves the driving member linearly along the longitudinal axis of the expandable intervertebral spacer; and
wherein linear movement of the driving member forces the first and second endplates to move away from the main body to transition the expandable intervertebral spacer from a first, unexpanded configuration to a second, expanded configuration.