Patent ID: 9433510
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: A61F,B22F,B33Y,Y02P

Claim Text:
1. An expandable intervertebral implant configured to be implanted into an intervertebral space defined between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra, the expandable intervertebral implant comprising: a superior bone contacting member that defines a superior portion of a proximal terminal end of the implant and a superior portion of a distal terminal end of the implant that is opposite the proximal terminal end of the implant along a longitudinal direction, the superior bone contacting member defining a superior bone facing surface configured to face the superior vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral space, the superior bone contacting member including a first superior bone contacting component, a second superior bone contacting component spaced from the first superior bone contacting component along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the superior bone contacting member defines a superior abutment surface; a first expandable lateral component interconnected between the first and second superior bone contacting components along the lateral direction, wherein the first superior bone contacting component defines a first inner surface and a first outer surface opposite the first inner surface along the lateral direction, the second superior bone contacting component defines a second inner surface and a second outer surface opposite the second inner surface along the lateral direction, the first and second inner surfaces face each other, and the first expandable lateral component extends from the first inner surface to the second inner surface; an inferior bone contacting member that defines an inferior portion of each of the proximal terminal end and the distal terminal end, the inferior bone contacting member defining an inferior bone facing surface configured to face the inferior vertebra when the implant is disposed in the intervertebral space, the inferior bone contacting member spaced from the superior bone contacting member in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to both the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction, the inferior bone contacting member including a first inferior bone contacting component, a second inferior bone contacting component spaced from the first inferior bone contacting component along the lateral direction, wherein the inferior bone contacting member defines an inferior abutment surface; a second expandable lateral component interconnected between the first and second inferior bone contacting components along the lateral direction, wherein the first inferior bone contacting component defines a third inner surface and a third outer surface opposite the third inner surface along the lateral direction, the second inferior bone contacting component defines a fourth inner surface and a fourth outer surface opposite the second inner surface along the lateral direction, the third and fourth inner surfaces face each other, and the second expandable lateral component extends from the third inner surface to the fourth inner surface; and at least one expandable vertical component interconnected between the superior and inferior bone contacting members along the vertical direction, wherein the implant is expandable in situ in both the vertical direction and the lateral direction from a first insertion configuration to a second expanded configuration, whereby 1) the first expandable lateral component expands along the lateral direction as respective entireties of the first superior bone contacting component and the second superior bone contacting component move away from each other along the lateral direction, 2) the second expandable lateral component expands along the lateral direction as respective entireties of the first inferior bone contacting component and the second inferior bone contacting component move away from each other along the lateral direction, and 3) the at least one expandable vertical component expands along the vertical direction as respective entireties of the superior bone contacting member and the inferior bone contacting member move away from each other along the vertical direction, wherein when the implant is in the first insertion configuration, the at least one abutment surface of the superior bone contacting member abuts the at least one abutment surface of the inferior bone contacting member, and when the implant is in the second expanded configuration, the at least one abutment surface of the superior bone contacting member is spaced from the at least one abutment surface of the inferior bone contacting member along the vertical direction, wherein when the implant is in the second expanded configuration, the implant defines 1) a line that extends along the superior bone facing surface from the first outer surface to the first inner surface a first distance in a plane that is oriented in the vertical and lateral directions, wherein the plane is disposed midway between the proximal terminal end and the distal terminal end, 2) a second straight line that extends from the first line at first inner surface to the second inner surface a second distance in the plane, and 3) a third line that extends along the superior bone facing surface from the second straight line at second inner surface to the second outer surface a third distance in the plane, such that a sum of the first and third distances is greater than the second distance, and wherein when the implant is in the second expanded configuration, the implant further defines 1) a fourth line that extends from the third outer surface to the third inner surface a fourth distance in the plane, 2) a fifth straight line that extends from the fourth line at the third inner surface to the fourth inner surface a fourth distance in the plane, and 3) a sixth line that extends from the fifth straight line at the fourth inner surface to the fourth outer surface a sixth distance in the plane, such that a sum of the fourth and sixth distances is greater than the fifth distance.