Patent ID: 9675469
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F

Claim:
1. An expandable interbody fusion device for implantation into the intradiscal space between the opposing vertebral bodies in a spine, comprising: an upper plate including an outer surface and a lower surface generally opposite said outer surface, said lower surface including a beveled surface; a lower plate including an outer surface and an inner surface facing said beveled surface on the lower surface of said upper plate, said upper plate being movable in an expansion direction away from said lower plate; and an elongate expansion member having a longitudinal axis along its length sized to be received between said upper plate and said lower plate on said inner surface and movable therebetween in a first axial direction along said longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to said expansion direction, said expansion member including thereon first and second axially spaced beveled surfaces and a portion between and interconnecting said first and second beveled surfaces, said portion having an upper surface facing said upper plate and a lower surface facing said lower plate, said expansion member consisting essentially of one fully bounded elongate slot extending along said longitudinal axis through the upper surface and the lower surface of said portion transversely to said expansion direction between and not through said first and second beveled surfaces, said first beveled surface defining a lifting surface extending across said longitudinal axis and operable upon movement of said expansion member in the first axial direction to engage the beveled surface on said lower surface of said upper plate to move said upper plate away from said lower plate in the expansion direction and expand said device.