Patents by Inventor Michael E Black

Michael E Black has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Securing fasteners
    Patent number: 9138271
    Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E Black
  • Securing Fasteners
    Publication number: 20130184766
    Abstract: A polyaxial fastener is secured within an implant with a retaining ring. The ring is assembled onto a circumferential groove formed in the fastener head. The groove and ring are positionable, when the fastener is installed into an implant, at a wide portion of the mating polyaxial aperture in the implant. The ring is compressible into the groove to form a narrowed diameter, which is passable into a narrow diameter of the aperture, near an entrance to the aperture. The ring is released to expand and increase an overall diameter of the head and ring assembly, thereby rending the assembly too wide to pass by the narrow entrance to the aperture, thereby securing the assembly within the implant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventor: Michael E Black