Patent ID: 7195644

Claim:
A spinal implant for placement between adjacent vertebrae to replace disk material comprising a first plate and a second plate adapted to interlock about a central axis, said first plate having a planar vertebrae engaging side and a disk side, a first interrupted skirt on said disk side extending approximately normal to said plate, said skirt formed as opposing separated arcs, a depression along said central axis of said disk side of said plate centrally located between said opposing arcs, said second plate having a second planar vertebrae engaging side and a second disk side, a second interrupted skirt on said second disk side extending approximately normal to said second plate, said second skirt formed as opposing separated arcs, a second depression along said central axis of said second disk side of said second plate centrally located between said opposing arcs and a universally rotatable ball captured in said depressions whereby said first plate is adapted to contact a vertebrae and said second plate is adapted to contact an adjacent vertebrae with said depressions each adapted to form a bearing surface for said ball along said central axis and said first and second interrupted skirts are interlocked forming a universal joint.