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:
Sep. 10, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 11, 2000
Dale G. Bramlet, St. Petersburg, FL (US);
Peter Sterghos, St. Petersburg, FL (US);
Jeffrey W. Godsted, Round Rock, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus and method for fusing opposing spinal vertebrae is disclosed. In an embodiment for a spinal implant of the present invention, the implant includes a body assembly and a retention member coupled to the body assembly. The retention member includes a tang where the tang is extendible from the body assembly. In a method of the present invention, the method includes the step of inserting an implant between adjacent vertebrae with a retention member of the implant in a first retracted configuration. The method also includes the step of configuring the retention member in a second extended configuration wherein when the retention member is in its second extended configuration, a portion of a tang of the retention member extends from the implant and into one of the adjacent vertebrae.