Other

Ingeniumspine, LLC

Lyle M Young

B Thomas Barker

Murali P Kadaba

Dennis Crandall

Damien Shulock

Jason Datta

Expandable intervertebral spacer system having a top plate and a bottom plate which are separated and held apart a changeable distance forming a cage. The plates are held apart by four locking mechanisms in the cage at or near the corners or the periphery of the plates, leaving the cavity of the cage substantially unobstructed. Each locking mechanism is made of two saw-toothed posts that cooperate to lock the top plate a desired distance from the bottom plate. The saw-tooth posts are biased against each other with a spring. Once the spacer is implanted in a patient with a removable insertion tool, the top and bottom plates are forced apart incrementally, one saw tooth at a time, in a ratchet-like motion, using a removable expansion mechanism. Optionally, each stanchion is surrounded by a sheath to prevent bone particles and other debris from interfering with the mating of the saw teeth.

Expandable vertebral spacer with four locking mechanisms

The anti-siphoning device includes a T-shaped valve body having a downwardly facing opening, an upwardly facing opening and a laterally facing opening. Constrained for vertical movement within the valve body is a hollow cylindrical float valve having a closed lower end for normally closing the lower opening of the valve body, an open upper end so that air can pass downwardly through the upwardly facing opening of the valve body into the interior of the cylindrical float valve, out through the circumferentially spaced holes and then through the laterally facing opening of the valve body. The downwardly facing opening of the valve body is connected to the outlet of the sink or basin to be drained. Waste water entering the valve body via the downwardly facing opening buoys the float valve upwardly, the water passing outwardly through the laterally facing opening along with the air entering the upwardly facing opening of the valve body. When no waste water is flowing, then the weight of the float valve seals against an annular seat innerjacent the downwardly facing opening of the valve body so that sewer gases will not flow upwardly past the float valve. Also, an air valve is located in the upper portion of the valve body, the air valve normally preventing air from entering the valve body but permitting air to enter when a reduced pressure exists within the valve body due to the flow of waste water upwardly through the downwardly facing opening and outwardly through the laterally facing opening.

Anti-siphoning device for venting drain lines

A deenergized solenoid operated valve normally closes the drain line of a sink, basin, tub or toilet bowl, the valve thus serving as a stopper. When a pushbutton switch is closed, the solenoid is energized to retract the valve and open the drain, a flow responsive switch maintaining the solenoid energized until all of the water has drained from the sink or bowl. A float responsive switch will also energize the solenoid to retract the valve and open the drain if water accumulates from a leaky faucet. Whenever water is drained, the low pressure or vacuum that results produces an accompanying venting action. The invention may be used with a P or S-type drain connection and/or with a conventional stack vent, but does not require that any of these be employed.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Lyle M Young