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:
Mar. 13, 2007
Filed:
Oct. 31, 2001
James F Zucherman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Ken Y Hsu, San Francisco, CA (US);
Charles a Hartjen, Monkton, MD (US);
Charles J Winslow, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
John Flynn, Concord, CA (US);
David Bohrer, Barrington, RI (US);
James F Zucherman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Ken Y Hsu, San Francisco, CA (US);
Charles A Hartjen, Monkton, MD (US);
Charles J Winslow, Walnut Creek, CA (US);
John Flynn, Concord, CA (US);
David Bohrer, Barrington, RI (US);
St. Francis Medical Technologies, Inc., Alameda, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention enables a physician to distract a previously created opening, determine the size of the opening, and alternatively, subsequently assist in inserting an implant between adjacent spinous processes. The distracting device has two prongs which separate as the handle of the device is closed. When the spinous processes are distracted to a desired diameter, the physician can lock the prongs in place, allowing him to determine and select an appropriately sized implant.