Patent ID: 7905920

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a plurality of support members; a plurality of cross members, each cross member in the plurality of cross members connecting adjacent support members, wherein the support members are repositionable from a first state to a second state, the support members being substantially collinear with respect to the other support members in the first state, each cross member being substantially parallel with respect to the other cross members in the first state, and the support members and the cross members defining a substantially orthogonal relationship therebetween in the second state, wherein a space is defined between a surface of at least one support member and its respective cross member when the apparatus is in the first state and the surface of the at least one support member and at least a part of a surface of its respective cross member are in contact with each other when the apparatus is in the second state; and a plurality of hinges, each hinge in the plurality of hinges coupling its respective support member to its respective cross member, and each hinge includes a biasing member that urges the cross members towards a substantially orthogonal relationship with the support members in the second state of the apparatus, wherein the plurality of support members pivot relative to a longitudinal axis of the apparatus such that the plurality of support members are substantially parallel to an axis extending through adjacent vertebrae, thereby defining the second state of the apparatus.