Patents by Inventor Philip A. Mellinger

Philip A. Mellinger 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).

  • Patent number: 9439659
    Abstract: A patient-specific alignment guide includes a patient-specific portion and a guiding element having a through opening. The patient-specific portion has a patient-specific surface preoperatively configured to mate as a negative of a portion of an iliac crest of a pelvis of a specific patient and mate to the iliac crest only in one position. The guiding element has a preoperatively configured orientation and location relative to the patient-specific portion for preparing a bore in the bone of the patient to direct a bone screw at the preoperatively configured orientation and location for sacroiliac fixation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan J. Schoenefeld, Robert C. Gutierrez, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Patent number: 9066734
    Abstract: A patient-specific alignment guide includes a patient-specific portion and a guiding element having a through opening. The patient-specific portion has a patient-specific surface preoperatively configured to mate as a negative of a portion of an iliac crest of a pelvis of a specific patient and mate to the iliac crest only in one position. The guiding element has a preoperatively configured orientation and location relative to the patient-specific portion for preparing a bore in the bone of the patient to direct a bone screw at the preoperatively configured orientation and location for sacroiliac fixation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan J. Schoenefeld, Robert C. Gutierrez, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Publication number: 20130053854
    Abstract: A patient-specific alignment guide includes a patient-specific portion and a guiding element having a through opening. The patient-specific portion has a patient-specific surface preoperatively configured to mate as a negative of a portion of an iliac crest of a pelvis of a specific patient and mate to the iliac crest only in one position. The guiding element has a preoperatively configured orientation and location relative to the patient-specific portion for preparing a bore in the bone of the patient to direct a bone screw at the preoperatively configured orientation and location for sacroiliac fixation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: BIOMET MANUFACTURING CORP.
    Inventors: Ryan J. Schoenefeld, Robert C. Gutierrez, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Patent number: 7232441
    Abstract: The present invention has a plate and rod assembly for implantation in the cervical region of the spine which includes an occipital plate having an angled anchor bridging area that is attached to the lower posterior curve of the skull. On either side the bridging area is connected to offset legs which join flanged areas having a high friction surface and which include tethered rod anchors having rod-receiving channels. These flanges include undercut slots longer in one direction than the other to capture the side plates integral to the open U-shaped members including the rod-receiving channels. The side plates extend longer in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the rod when it is in the channel so that they can thus be lowered into the slot and rotated by 90 degrees to capture the channels in the flanges. The channels are closed by a capnut which has a bottom annular flange that also helps to lock the rod in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Cross Medicalproducts, Inc.
    Inventors: Moti Altarac, Philip A. Mellinger, Alex Vaccaro
  • Patent number: 7163538
    Abstract: The invention provides a rod assembly for implantation into the spine which includes a bone anchor assembly providing two points of angulation for the connection between the point of fixation and the rod. Further, the distance of offset between the point of fixation and the rod can be varied. The invention uses a bone screw having a pronged cage with a recess that accommodates the head of a post member. The cage can be tightened around the head by the camming surfaces of a locking cap that is drawn down around the compressible cage as the head is screwed upward in the recess by the engagement of the threads of the post by a locking nut. Further, the locking cap has a slotted bushing that is positionable in the elongated slot of a rod connector member. The locking nut includes an external taper that expands the bushing outward to lock it into position in the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Cross Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Moti Altarac, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Publication number: 20040006342
    Abstract: The invention provides a rod assembly for implantation into the spine which includes a bone anchor assembly providing two points of angulation for the connection between the point of fixation and the rod. Further, the distance of offset between the point of fixation and the rod can be varied. The invention uses a bone screw having a pronged cage with a recess that accommodates the head of a post member. The cage can be tightened around the head by the camming surfaces of a locking cap that is drawn down around the compressible cage as the head is screwed upward in the recess by the engagement of the threads of the post by a locking nut. Further, the locking cap has a slotted bushing that is positionable in the elongated slot of a rod connector member. The locking nut includes an external taper that expands the bushing outward to lock it into position in the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventors: Moti Altarac, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Publication number: 20030216735
    Abstract: The invention provides a bone screw for use in an implant assembly having a member including a hole through which the screw extends. The member preferably includes socket that receives a rounded bottom portion of the screw head in order to form a ball and socket connection. The screw has a necked area below the rounded bottom portion which projects through the hole and below that on the longitudinal axis of the screw, it includes a knurled collar that is sized so as to allow the anchor to be inserted onto the screw but which subsequently restrains the anchor from falling downward onto the threaded area of the screw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: Moti Altarac, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Publication number: 20030163133
    Abstract: The invention provides a rod assembly for implantation into the spine which includes a bone anchor assembly providing two points of angulation for the connection between the point of fixation and the rod. Further, the distance of offset between the point of fixation and the rod can be varied. The invention uses a bone screw having a pronged cage with a recess that accommodates the head of a post member. The cage can be tightened around the head by the camming surfaces of a locking cap that is drawn down around the compressible cage as the head is screwed upward in the recess by the engagement of the threads of the post by a locking nut. Further, the locking cap has a slotted bushing that is positionable in the elongated slot of a rod connector member. The locking nut includes an external taper that expands the bushing outward to lock it into position in the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Moti Altarac, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Publication number: 20030153913
    Abstract: The present invention has a plate and rod assembly for implantation in the cervical region of the spine which includes an occipital plate having an angled anchor bridging area that is attached to the lower posterior curve of the skull. On either side the bridging area is connected to offset legs which join flanged areas that include tethered rod anchors having rod-receiving channels. Specifically, the flanged areas have a high friction surface, which is preferably knurled, to bite into the surface of the rod that is received in the channels. These flanges include undercut slots that capture the side plates integral to the open U-shaped members including the rod-receiving channels. The side plates extend longer in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the rod when it is in the channel. These side plates can thus be lowered into the slot and rotated by 90 degrees to capture the channels in the flanges since the undercut slots are not as wide as they are long.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Moti Altarac, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Patent number: 6443953
    Abstract: A spinal implant system is provided having a stabilization rod, a plurality of bone anchors which could be either hooks or screws and which have an internal recess that defines a rod-receiving channel. Sidewalls of the anchor project beyond the recess, and are threaded on the outside. These external threads cooperate with the internal threads of a locking member, or cap nut, which has a top surface with a cavity that includes an internal hexagon. The internal threads are on the inside of the cylindrical sidewalls of the cap nut. Further, on the bottom side of the top surface, the cap nut has a guide member in the form of a cylindrical boss, which has a smaller diameter than that of the recess within the anchor. The boss helps to prevent cross threading and to prevent collapse of the anchor sidewalls under high forces. An annular ridge on the bottom of the boss further helps to retain the rod relative to the anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Cross Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Perra, Rolando Puno, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Patent number: 6302888
    Abstract: A spinal implant assembly is provided which has a stabilizer rod clamped into position within an anchor by means of a sliding closure member including a mating set screw or hook. The exterior faces of the anchor are contoured to optimize interface in the surgical setting. The anchor includes a U-shaped channel having multiple undercut surfaces such as grooves, which mate with flange like projections or “dovetails” of a closure member which is slid in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the rod. The closure member has on either side a flange mating with opposing recesses formed at the top of the U-shaped channel so as to lock the closure member in place. The set screw has an external hex head for tightening, and a plurality of radically extending prongs which are undercut and which mate with the recesses in the top of the U-shaped channel of the anchor. The hex head sheers at a necked area above the radial collar to provide for a flush surface relative to the closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Interpore Cross International
    Inventors: Philip A. Mellinger, Donald B. Knoth
  • Patent number: 5474555
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for the internal fixation of the spine. The apparatus comprises an assembly having at least two anchors and an elongated stabilizer. The anchors each have means to hold the anchor to the bone, and include receiving means which receive the stabilizer as well as securing means which cooperate with the receiving means by means of the interaction of mating threads to cause the application of compression on the stabilizer into the receiving means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Cross Medical Products
    Inventors: Rolando M. Puno, Philip A. Mellinger
  • Patent number: 5360431
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for the internal fixation of the spine. The apparatus comprises two sets of implants (8) each consisting of a rod (18) and a plurality of vertebral anchors (16). The rod (18) is secured to the vertebral elements by the vertebral anchors (16). The anchor (16) includes a transpedicular screw (21) which is secured to a vertebrae. The anchor (16) further includes an anchor seat (23) which captures the screw (21) and permits micromotion between the anchor seat (23) and screw (21). This seat (23) has a rod-receiving channel (51,52) which captures the rod (18). A cap (25) cooperates with the seat (23) to secure the rod (18) in the anchor (16). A nut (27) screws down from the top of the assembly onto the seat (23) to cause rod (18) receiving flanges (46,47) in the cap (23) to apply a compressive force to the rod (18 ). A method of therapy is presented in which the present implants (8) are inserted surgically into a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: Cross Medical Products
    Inventors: Rolando M. Puno, Philip A. Mellinger