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. 16, 2009
Filed:
Sep. 23, 2004
Rudi Bertagnoli, Straubing, DE;
Theirry Marnay, Castelnau le Lez, FR;
Stephan Eckhof, Tuttlingen, DE;
Christophe Geisert, Tuttlingen, DE;
Eduard Kufeld, Tuttlingen, DE;
Rudi Bertagnoli, Straubing, DE;
Theirry Marnay, Castelnau le Lez, FR;
Stephan Eckhof, Tuttlingen, DE;
Christophe Geisert, Tuttlingen, DE;
Eduard Kufeld, Tuttlingen, DE;
Spine Solutions, Inc., West Chester, PA (US);
Abstract
An instrument and method are disclosed for inserting an artificial intervertebral disc implant having upper and lower parts and a pivot element therebetween into an intervertebral space. The instrument has a mounting structure, and an elongated upper arm and elongated lower arms, the arms being pivotally attached to the mounting structure. A distractor separates the upper and lower arms, and hence the upper and lower parts, when moving along the arms so as to permit insertion of the pivot element. The distractor includes a fork arm that extends beyond a main body thereof to engage and support with heads thereof a facing surface of the upper and/or lower part during and following separation of the parts.