US 12,458,509 B2
Vertically and laterally expandable vertebral cage
Ernest N. Corrao, Jr., Bethel, CT (US); and Charles A. Wing, Milford, CT (US)
Assigned to SHANGHAI KINETIC MEDICAL CO., LTD., Shanghai (CN)
Appl. No. 17/904,962
Filed by SHANGHAI KINETIC MEDICAL CO., LTD., Shanghai (CN)
PCT Filed Mar. 4, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/070231
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/179011, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/985,376, filed on Mar. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0190490 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. A61F 2/44 (2006.01); A61F 2/30 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/447 (2013.01) [A61F 2002/30383 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30405 (2013.01); A61F 2002/3055 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30556 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30579 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An expandable vertebral device comprising:
a base assembly comprising a first end portion and a second end portion that are movable relative to one another via adjustment of an adjustment mechanism at the first end portion, each of the first and second end portions having opposed upper and lower sides;
a plurality of vertical keepers, each vertical keeper extending from an upper or lower side of one of the first or second end portions;
a plurality of vertical guide channels, each vertical guide channel defined between an outer ramped surface of one of the upper or lower sides and an inner ramped surface of the respective vertical keeper, the outer ramped surface and the inner ramped surface are substantially parallel to each other;
a plurality of movable plates movably disposed at the base assembly and at least vertically movable relative to the base assembly as the first and second end portions are moved relative to one another;
wherein each plate of the plurality of movable plates comprises at least one vertical guide element at each end of the plate, and wherein each vertical guide element is movably received in a respective one of the vertical guide channels of a respective one of the first and second end portions;
wherein each end portion further includes a lateral guide channel at each of the laterally opposite sides of the respective end portion, and each plate of the plurality of movable plates includes a lateral guide element at each end of the plate, and each lateral guide element is movably received in a respective one of the lateral guide channels of a respective one of the first and second end portions; and
wherein, when the adjustment mechanism is adjusted to draw the first and second end portions toward one another, the movable plates move at least vertically outward from a longitudinal axis of the base assembly as the vertical guide elements move along the respective vertical guide channels.