Patent ID: 9700430
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: A61F

Claim:
1. An expandable intervertebral device for implantation within an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae, the expandable intervertebral device comprising: upper and lower bearing members each having a bone-engaging outer surface and an inner facing surface, a distal leading end, a proximal trailing end, opposing lateral sides, and a through-opening extending between the bone-engaging outer surface and the inner facing surface and located between the leading and trailing ends and the opposing lateral sides; and an expansion mechanism operably connected to the upper and lower bearing members for shifting the bearing members between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration, the expansion mechanism located between the upper and lower bearing members and on either side of the through-opening in each of the upper and lower bearing members so that the through-openings are oriented to provide an uninterrupted void between the outer surfaces of the upper and lower bearing members to promote boney ingrowth between the adjacent vertebrae; wherein the expansion mechanism comprises a plurality of rotatable slide members that are each rotatable about an axis for shifting the upper and lower bearing members between the compact and expanded configurations; wherein the plurality of rotatable slide members have arcuate camming surfaces operable to engage the upper and lower bearing members such that at least one of the upper and lower bearing members shifts axially with respect to and distracts apart from the other of the upper and lower bearing members when the bearing members are shifted between the compact and expanded configurations.