Patent Document ID: 8002800
Application ID: 11832305

Base Claim:
1. A spine implant adapted to be attached to another spine implant wherein the another spine implant includes a first fastener secured to a first portion of a first vertebra and a second fastener secured to a second portion of the first vertebra, the spine implant including: an elongated member with a first end and a second end, said first end adapted to be secured to the first fastener and the second end adapted to be secured to the second fastener; the elongated member including a platform and a first spring located between the platform and the first end and a second spring located between the platform and the second end; and a vertical rod assembly having a first rod end connected to the platform, and a second rod end configured for attachment to a second vertebra; such that, when secured between the first vertebra and second vertebra, the vertical rod assembly transmits load from the second vertebra to the platform, the platform transmits said load to the first end of the elongated member via the first spring and the second end of the elongated member via the second spring, and the first end and second end of the elongated member transmit said load to the first vertebra via the first fastener and the second fastener.

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Claim 5:
5. The spine implant of claim 1 wherein said first and second end are approximately round and said first spring is a leaf spring and said second spring is a leaf spring, and said first leaf spring and said second leaf spring have approximately flat sides.