Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A vertebral body prosthesis comprising: a. an upper plate having a depending ball supporting member comprising a truncated cone member projecting downwardly from said plate and having a narrower end lower than a wider end, with said lower end terminating in a depending ball portion; b. a lower plate having an upstanding hemispherical socket supporting member having an upper end connected to a hemispherical socket, with said ball seated in said socket; and c. a resilient toroidal disc interposed between said upper plate and said lower plate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
A vertebral body prosthesis comprising: a. an upper plate having a depending ball supporting member comprising a truncated cone member projecting downwardly from said plate and having a narrower end lower than a wider end, with said lower end terminating in a depending ball portion; b. a lower plate having an upstanding hemispherical socket supporting member having an upper end connected to a hemispherical socket, with said ball seated in said socket; and c. a resilient toroidal disc interposed between said upper plate and said lower plate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of upwardly projecting spikes on an upper surface of said upper plate and a plurality of downwardly projecting spikes on a lower surface of said lower plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of upwardly projecting anchoring brackets fastened to a perimeter of said upper plate, wherein each said bracket comprises an elongated bracket member having two vertically aligned apertures for receiving anchoring fasteners and said bracket member further comprises a thickened lower section for securing said bracket member in an anchoring loop fastened to said upper plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of downwardly projecting anchoring brackets fastened to a perimeter of said lower plate, wherein each said bracket comprises an elongated bracket member having two vertically aligned apertures for receiving anchoring fasteners and said bracket member further comprises a thickened upper section for securing said bracket member in an anchoring loop fastened to said lower plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 1 wherein said socket comprises an upper edge and said upper edge extends upwardly above the diameter of said depending ball.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wires fastened to said upper plate and to said lower plate, wherein said wires form a repeating X pattern about the perimeter of said upper plate and said lower plate, wherein each X comprises an two upper arms, each said arm having an upper end, and two lower arms, each said arm having a lower end, and each upper end of each said upper arm is connected to an upper arm of an adjoining X and each said lower end of each said lower arm is connected to a lower arm of an adjoining X and said upper and lower ends are fastened to an edge of said upper plate or said lower plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 1 wherein said resilient toroidal disc comprises a layer of reinforcing fibers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a plurality of anchoring loops connected to said upper plate and a plurality of anchoring loops connected to said lower plate, wherein each said anchoring loop comprises a wire loop fastened to one said upper or said lower plate for receiving an anchoring bracket, which is retained in said anchoring loop by a thickened end portion of each said anchoring bracket.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
144 words
A vertebral body prosthesis comprising: a. an upper plate having a depending ball supporting member comprising a truncated cone member projecting downwardly from said plate and having a narrower end lower than a wider end, with said lower end terminating in a depending spherical ball portion; b. a lower plate having an upstanding hemispherical socket supporting member comprising a truncated cone having a narrower end and a wider end, with said wider end connected to said lower plate, said socket supporting member having an upper end connected to a hemispherical socket, with said ball seated in said socket; and c. a toroidal disc interposed between said upper plate and said lower plate; and d. a plurality of wires arrayed in a repeating X pattern, each said wire having one end connected to said upper plate and a second end connected to said lower plate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
144 words
A vertebral body prosthesis comprising: a. an upper plate having a depending ball supporting member comprising a truncated cone member projecting downwardly from said plate and having a narrower end lower than a wider end, with said lower end terminating in a depending spherical ball portion; b. a lower plate having an upstanding hemispherical socket supporting member comprising a truncated cone having a narrower end and a wider end, with said wider end connected to said lower plate, said socket supporting member having an upper end connected to a hemispherical socket, with said ball seated in said socket; and c. a toroidal disc interposed between said upper plate and said lower plate; and d. a plurality of wires arrayed in a repeating X pattern, each said wire having one end connected to said upper plate and a second end connected to said lower plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a plurality of upwardly projecting spikes connected to an upper surface of said upper plate and a plurality of downwardly projecting spikes connected to a lower surface of said lower plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
83 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a repeating X pattern formed by said wires, wherein each X comprises two upper arms, each said arm having an upper end, and two lower arms, each said arm having a lower end, and each upper end of each said upper arm is connected to an upper arm of an adjoining X and each said lower end of each said lower arm is connected to a lower arm of an adjoining X.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
A vertebral body prosthesis in accordance with claim 9 wherein said toroidal disc comprises a doughnut-shaped toroidal disc cushion further comprising an upper elastic resilient member and a lower elastic resilient member and a plurality of reinforcing fibers between said upper and lower elastic resilient members.