Patent ID: 11918265
Assignee: CURITEVA, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An expandable laminoplasty device comprising:
a superior plate;
an inferior plate;
a racked gear post having a plurality of gear teeth, the racked gear post affixed to one of the superior plate or the inferior plate;
a pinion gear, the pinion gear having a plurality of gear teeth configured to engage the gear teeth of the racked gear post, the pinion gear being held in one of the superior plate or inferior plate not affixed to the racked gear post, wherein the superior plate or inferior plate not affixed to the racked gear post has an end with a slot or channel to receive the racked gear post and a side opening to receive and hold the pinion gear; and
wherein the rotation of the pinion gear engages the gear teeth of the racked gear post thereby coupling the superior plate to the inferior plate to form the expandable laminoplasty device, rotation of the pinion gear causes relative movement of the superior plate and inferior plate from contracted to expanded positions wherein stopping the rotation of the pinion gear fixes an amount of linear expansion between the superior and inferior plates.