Patent ID: 7758645

Claim:
An intervertebral disk prosthesis or intervertebral implant having a central longitudinal axis, the disk comprising: an upper apposition plate arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis, the upper apposition plate including an upper surface for contacting a lower plate of a first vertebra and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the lower surface having a male part; a lower apposition plate arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis, the lower apposition plate including a lower surface for contacting an upper plate of a second vertebra and an upper surface opposite the lower surface, the upper surface having a male part; a middle piece including: a first plate arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis, the first plate including an upper surface, a lower surface and a female part formed in the upper surface for engaging the male part of the upper apposition plate; a second plate arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis, the second plate including a lower surface, an upper surface and a female part formed in the lower surface for engaging the male part of the lower apposition plate; a first blocking means operatively associated with the first plate, the first blocking means including a lower surface; a second blocking means operatively associated with the second plate, the second blocking means including an upper surface; a spring arranged co-axially with the longitudinal axis, the spring operatively coupled to the lower surface of the first blocking means and the upper surface of the second blocking means; an elastic means arranged co-axially with the longitudinal axis and operatively coupled to the upper surface of the second plate and spaced by a distance from the lower surface of the first plate in a no-load state, the elastic means coming into contact with the lower surface of the first plate when the spring is compressed; and an outer casing circumferentially disposed about the spring and the elastic means, the outer casing operatively associated with the first and second plates.