Patents Assigned to X-Pantu-Flex DRD Limited Liability Company
  • Patent number: 6981989
    Abstract: An improved spinal intervertebral prosthetic device that offers all degrees of motion afforded by the anatomic spinal intervertebral disc, and by virtue of the incorporation of a dashpot assembly mechanism within reversibly displaceable bellows, provides hydraulic load bearing capability as well as limiting the maximum pressure that can be exerted on the bellows assembly by limiting the compression stroke of the device. The dashpot assembly also increases resistance to lateral shear loading in excess of the bellows convolutions acting alone. The spinal intervertebral prosthetic device absorbs varying axial loads via hydraulic pressure transfer to the bellows convolutions which can flex in a spring-like fashion. Rotational coupling of the upper crown plate and center bearings plate permits normal twisting movements, and spinal flexural freedom is provided by the bellows that are interposed between the center bearings plate and the lower crown plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: X-Pantu-Flex DRD Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Lewis W. Fleischmann, Christopher Galuardi