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. 29, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 19, 2002
James E. Van Hoeck, Cordova, TN (US);
Kevin Foley, Germantown, TN (US);
Regis Haid, Atlanta, GA (US);
Stephen Papadopoulos, Paradise Valley, AZ (US);
Stephen Heim, Wheaton, IL (US);
SDGI Holdings, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A guide and method of using the guide for positioning within a patient between vertebral members for contouring each of the members. The guide comprises a first section and a second section. A first edge is positioned along an edge of the first section, and a second edge is positioned along an edge of the second section. One or more elongated rods extend through the sections. One or both of the sections are movable along the rods to adjust a spacing between the first edge and the second edge. When positioned within the patient, the first edge is aligned along a first vertebral member and the second edge is aligned along a second vertebral manner. A manner of locking the sections is included for preventing the sections from moving relative to each other once the first and second edges are aligned within the patient.