The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 25, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 03, 1999
John R. Bianchi, Gainesville, FL (US);
Kevin C. Carter, Gainesville, FL (US);
Bradley T. Estes, Memphis, TN (US);
Larry Boyd, Memphis, TN (US);
John A. Pafford, Germantown, TN (US);
Other;
Abstract
Open chambered spacers, implanting tools and methods are provided. The spacers ′ include a body ′ having a wall ′ which defines a chamber ′ and an opening ′ in communication with the chamber ′. In one embodiment the wall ′ includes a pair of arms ′ facing one another and forming a mouth ′ to the chamber ′. Preferably, one of the arms ′ is truncated relative to the other, forming a channel . In one aspect the body ′ is a bone dowel comprising an off-center plug from the diaphysis of a long bone. The tools include spacer engaging means for engaging a spacer and occlusion means for blocking an opening defined in the spacer. In some embodiments, the occlusion means includes a plate extendable from the housing . In one specific embodiment the plate defines a groove which is disposed around a fastener attached to the housing so that the plate is slideable relative to the housing