US 12,070,394 B2
Intervertebral spacer for TLIF implant procedure
Austin Clemens, Indianapolis, IN (US); Chad Birchler, Noblesville, IN (US); Anthony Woods, Noblesville, IN (US); Andrew Elsbury, McCordsville, IN (US); and Caleb Morin, Greenfield, IN (US)
Assigned to Nexxt Spine, LLC, Noblesville, IN (US)
Filed by Nexxt Spine, LLC, Noblesville, IN (US)
Filed on Aug. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/410,548.
Application 17/410,548 is a division of application No. 16/930,605, filed on Jul. 16, 2020, granted, now 11,344,431.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/881,581, filed on Aug. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0378838 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4455 (2013.01) [A61F 2/4425 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30332 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30561 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing an intervertebral spacer, the method comprising:
manufacturing, using an additive manufacturing process, atop a surface, at least one first support structure configured to support a main body of the intervertebral spacer during manufacture and at least one second support structure configured to support an articulating component of the intervertebral spacer during manufacture;
manufacturing, using the additive manufacturing process, the main body atop the at least one first support structure, the main body having a distal end and a proximal end that are connected by side walls that are spaced apart from one another so as to define an interior cavity therebetween, the proximal end having a first proximal end wall and a second proximal end wall, a proximal end opening being defined between the first proximal end wall and the second proximal end wall;
manufacturing, using the additive manufacturing process, the articulating component atop the at least one second support structure without any material interconnecting the main body and the articulating component, the articulating component being pivotally mounted within the proximal end opening and configured to interconnect with a tool for inserting the intervertebral spacer; and
removing, after the manufacture of the main body and the articulating component, the at least one first support structure from the main body and the at least one second support structure from the articulating component.