Patent ID: 9445856
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F

Claim Text:
1. A spinal system comprising: a rigid superior plate having a proximal end and a distal end and a length therebetween; a rigid inferior plate opposed to the superior plate having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the rigid superior plate is separated from the rigid inferior plate by a distance of separation; a first pair of bar members positioned between the superior plate and inferior plate; a second pair of bar members positioned between the superior plate and inferior plate, wherein the first pair of bar members positioned between the superior plate and the inferior plate do not intersect with the second pair of bar members positioned between the superior plate and the inferior plate; a first nut attached to the first pair of bar members, wherein the first nut is positioned closer to the proximal end of the rigid superior plate than the distal end of the rigid superior plate; a second nut attached to the second pair of bar members, wherein the second nut is positioned closer to the distal end of the rigid superior plate than the proximal end of the rigid superior plate; an expansion member extending through the first nut and the second nut, wherein the expansion member has a longitudinal length; a first end portion positioned along the longitudinal length of the expansion member, wherein the first end portion is positioned at a first end of the expansion member; and a second end portion positioned along the longitudinal length of the expansion member, wherein the second end portion is positioned at a second end of the expansion member, wherein the first and second end portions are separated a distance from the first and second nuts, respectively, wherein the expansion member is confined between the first end portion and the second end portion such that no part of the expansion member extends beyond the first end portion and the second end portion along the longitudinal length of the expansion member, wherein the distance of separation between the superior plate and inferior plate increases as the first nut and the second nut are drawn closer together, wherein in a fully expanded configuration, the length of the rigid superior plate is greater than the distance of separation between the rigid superior plate and the rigid inferior plate, and the expansion member has a longitudinal axis that runs along the length of the rigid superior plate.