US 12,076,250 B2
Expanding intervertebral implants
Tyler Hessler, Phoenixville, PA (US); Chad Glerum, Pennsburg, PA (US); Mark Weiman, Downingtown, PA (US); Albert Hill, Richboro, PA (US); and Myles Sullivan, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Assigned to Globus Medical, Inc., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed by GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed on Mar. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/699,752.
Application 17/699,752 is a continuation of application No. 16/902,921, filed on Jun. 16, 2020, granted, now 11,298,240.
Prior Publication US 2022/0211516 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61F 2/46 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4425 (2013.01) [A61F 2/4611 (2013.01); A61F 2002/3008 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30411 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30538 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30556 (2013.01); A61F 2002/443 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4615 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for separating bones of a joint using a driver tool having a threaded shaft, the device comprising:
a superior endplate having a bone engaging surface and a surface opposite the bone engaging surface;
an inferior endplate having a bone engaging surface and a surface opposite the bone engaging surface;
first and second bearings each mated to the first and second endplates;
the first bearing including a threaded aperture and the second bearing including a bore having a thrust surface;
an actuating screw removably attachable to an insertion driver and adapted to be removed from the driver after insertion of the device, the actuating screw adapted to be threadably engaged with the threaded aperture of the first bearing and having a distal end surface, the actuating screw rotatably coupled to the thrust surface of the bore of the second bearing such that rotation of the actuating screw pushes the distal end surface against the thrust surface to cause the first and second bearings to be driven apart to thereby push the superior endplate away from the inferior endplate,
wherein the threaded aperture is at an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the device which opens in a direction away from the leading end.