Patent ID: 8246655

Claim:
An implant apparatus comprising: an upper implant member having a seat portion configuration for engaging an upper vertebral bone portion; a lower implant member having a seat portion configured for engaging a lower vertebral bone portion; a pivot connection between the upper and lower implant members to allow the implant members to be pivoted from an insertion orientation to an implanted orientation so that in the implanted orientation the seat portions are pivoted to face in generally opposite, upward and downward directions for secure engagement with the respective upper and lower vertebral bone portions; and a locking mechanism operable to keep the upper and lower implant members in the implanted orientation thereof, the locking mechanism and the upper and lower implant members having a connection mechanism therebetween, the connection mechanism including a pivot connection between a linkage of the locking mechanism with one of the upper and lower implant members and a releasable connection between the linkage and the other implant member.