US 12,453,641 B2
Vertebral implants and methods for installation thereof
George Howard, Green Lane, PA (US); James Himmelberger, Souderton, PA (US); Jason Gray, East Greenville, PA (US); Colm McLaughlin, Glenside, PA (US); Noah Hansell, King of Prussia, PA (US); and Mark Weiman, Downingtown, PA (US)
Assigned to Globus Medical, Inc., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed by GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/648,528.
Application 18/648,528 is a continuation of application No. 17/950,208, filed on Sep. 22, 2022, granted, now 11,998,454.
Application 17/950,208 is a continuation of application No. 16/507,494, filed on Jul. 10, 2019, granted, now 11,452,613, issued on Sep. 27, 2022.
Application 16/507,494 is a continuation of application No. 14/881,507, filed on Oct. 13, 2015, granted, now 10,376,373, issued on Aug. 13, 2019.
Application 14/881,507 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/580,273, filed on Dec. 23, 2014, granted, now 9,801,730, issued on Oct. 31, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0277486 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61F 2/46 (2006.01); A61B 17/80 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/4465 (2013.01) [A61F 2/44 (2013.01); A61F 2/442 (2013.01); A61F 2/4425 (2013.01); A61F 2/4455 (2013.01); A61F 2/4611 (2013.01); A61F 2/4684 (2013.01); A61B 17/8095 (2013.01); A61F 2002/3008 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30228 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30235 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30383 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30405 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30433 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30467 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30495 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30515 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30517 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30523 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30538 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30556 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30565 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4415 (2013.01); A61F 2002/443 (2013.01); A61F 2220/0041 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of installing a vertebral implant assembly, the method comprising:
providing a vertebral implant assembly comprising:
an inner member;
an outer member;
a gear coupled to the inner and outer members and adapted to move the inner member relative to the outer member upon rotation of the gear; and
a polyaxial endplate assembly attached to at least one of the inner member and the outer member, and including:
an upper endplate including a circumferential inner surface and a curved exterior surface and a plurality of gear teeth circumferentially arranged on the curved exterior surface;
a mating body including a curved inner surface and mating teeth arranged circumferentially on the curved inner surface, the mating teeth enmesh with the gear teeth of the endplate; and
a clamp disposed to press the endplate relative to the mating body to fix the endplate to the mating body at a desired angle, the clamp having a convex surface configured to contact the circumferential inner surface of the endplate; and
a clamping screw coupled to the mating body and the clamp;
expanding the vertebral implant assembly from a first height to a second height; and
locking the upper endplate in a particular angular position relative to the mating body.