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:
Jul. 13, 2010
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2004
Spanky A. Raymond, Uniontown, OH (US);
Frank S. Bono, Collierville, TN (US);
Thomas G. Wilson, Guilford, CT (US);
Joseph Logan, Trumbull, CT (US);
Steven J. Wysocki, Stratford, CT (US);
Spanky A. Raymond, Uniontown, OH (US);
Frank S. Bono, Collierville, TN (US);
Thomas G. Wilson, Guilford, CT (US);
Joseph Logan, Trumbull, CT (US);
Steven J. Wysocki, Stratford, CT (US);
Spine Wave, Inc., Shelton, CT (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for distracting, in a given direction, and supporting two tissue surfaces is disclosed using a column of wafers. The column of wafers is oriented so as to expand in the given direction as the wafers are consecutively added to the column. A wafer insertion apparatus includes a wafer cartridge configured to carry a stack of wafers to be inserted into the space, a track assembly including a first track for carrying a wafer toward the space, a second track and means for preventing retrograde movement of a wafer within the first track, an advancer/pusher mechanism slidably disposed within the second track and operable on a wafer within the first track to advance the wafer along the first track, and an advancement gun operably coupled to the advancer/pusher mechanism to propel the mechanism along the second track.