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:
Feb. 21, 2012
Filed:
May. 20, 2005
Charles R. Gordon, Tyler, TX (US);
Corey T. Harbold, Tyler, TX (US);
Heather S. Hanson, San Antonio, TX (US);
Charles R. Gordon, Tyler, TX (US);
Corey T. Harbold, Tyler, TX (US);
Heather S. Hanson, San Antonio, TX (US);
Flexuspine, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
An expandable articulating intervertebral implant is described for insertion between vertebrae of a human spine. The expandable intervertebral implant includes an upper body that engages a first vertebra of the human spine, a lower body that engages a second vertebra of the human spine, and an insert. The upper body may include an upper portion and a lower portion. The insert may be positioned between an inferior surface of the lower portion of the upper body and a superior surface of the lower body. The insert may be translated or rotated to increase a separation distance between the lower body and the upper body. A spacer may be inserted between the upper body and the lower body to maintain at least a portion of the increased separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after expansion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine.