intervertebral fusion cage

Abstract

The present invention proposes an intervertebral fusion device, comprising a main body, two support plates and a distraction assembly. The main body has an inner cavity, an upper opening and a lower opening. The two support plates are respectively arranged at the upper opening and the lower opening, and the support plates slide in cooperation with the main body to be able to be distracted relative to the main body. The distraction assembly comprises a screw and two sets of gear shafts. The screw is rotatably arranged in the inner cavity along a first horizontal direction. The two sets of gear shafts are respectively located above and below the screw, and each set of gear shafts comprises at least one gear shaft, which is rotatably arranged in the inner cavity along a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. The gear shaft is provided with gears and push arms spaced apart along the second horizontal direction, the gears are engaged with the screw, and the push arms extend radially along the gear shafts. The intervertebral fusion device is configured to be able to drive the two sets of gear shafts to rotate synchronously through the rotation of the screw, and the push arms of the two sets of gear shafts respectively push the two support plates to move in the vertical direction relative to the main body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of spinal thoracic and lumbar intervertebral fusion, and in particular to an intervertebral fusion cage. Background Art

[0002] Among the equipment used for bone repair or correction, spinal products are characterized by rich product types, diverse diseases and approaches compared to other products. Among them, intervertebral fusion products can be classified into cervical fusion devices and thoracolumbar fusion devices according to the different types of vertebrae to which they are applicable. The existing intervertebral fusion devices started with the early bone block structure, and have undergone titanium alloy fusion devices, peek (poly-ether-ether-ketone, polyetheretherketone) fusion devices and 3D printed fusion devices during the development and evolution. The above-mentioned various existing design schemes are all products that are designed with different specifications and the appropriate length, width and height are selected during the operation to match, resulting in diversified product specifications and the inability to adapt to intervertebral spaces of different heights. Therefore, expandable intervertebral fusion devices came into being. However, the existing expandable intervertebral fusion devices generally have defects such as complex structure, cumbersome operation, and inability to achieve high self-locking. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A main purpose of the present invention is to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to provide an intervertebral fusion cage that is simple in structure, easy to operate, and capable of achieving a high degree of self-locking.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, an intervertebral fusion device is provided. The intervertebral fusion device includes a main body, two support plates and a distraction assembly. The main body has an inner cavity, and the top and bottom of the main body are respectively provided with an upper opening and a lower opening connected to the inner cavity. The two support plates are respectively provided at the upper opening and the lower opening, and the support plates are slidably fitted with the main body to be able to be distracted relative to the main body. The distraction assembly includes a screw and two sets of gear shafts. The screw is rotatably arranged in the inner cavity along a first horizontal direction. The two sets of gear shafts are respectively located above and below the screw, and each set of gear shafts includes at least one gear shaft, and the gear shaft is rotatably arranged in the inner cavity along a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. The gear shaft is provided with gears and push arms spaced apart along the second horizontal direction, the gears are engaged with the screw, and the push arms extend radially along the gear shaft. The intervertebral fusion cage is configured to be able to drive the two sets of gear shafts to rotate synchronously through the rotation of the screw, and the pushing arms of the two sets of gear shafts respectively push the two support plates to move in the vertical direction relative to the main body.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a sliding block is provided on the surface of the support plate facing the main body, and the main body is provided with a sliding groove, the sliding groove extends in a vertical direction, and the sliding block is slidably engaged with the sliding groove.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the support plate is provided with multiple pairs of sliders, the multiple pairs of sliders being spaced apart along a first horizontal direction, and the two sliders in the same pair being spaced apart along a second horizontal direction; the main body is provided with multiple pairs of chute slots, the multiple pairs of chute slots being spaced apart along the first horizontal direction, and the two sliders in the same pair being spaced apart along the second horizontal direction. The multiple sliders are slidably engaged with the multiple chute slots in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the number of sliders provided on the two support plates is equal and corresponds one to one, wherein the two support plates share a plurality of slide grooves, and each slide groove simultaneously slides with two corresponding sliders belonging to the two support plates.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the main body has two side walls that are parallel in the second horizontal direction, and the plurality of sliding grooves are respectively provided on the two side walls.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a surface of the support plate facing the main body is provided with a boss, the outer periphery of which matches the shape of the upper opening and the lower opening.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each group of the gear shafts includes a plurality of the gear shafts, and the plurality of gear shafts are spaced apart and distributed along the first horizontal direction.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each gear shaft is provided with a plurality of pushing arms, a portion of the plurality of pushing arms is located on one side of the gear in the first horizontal direction, and another portion thereof is located on the other side of the gear in the first horizontal direction.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the main body has two parallel side walls in the second horizontal direction, and the main body is provided with a pair of shaft holes corresponding to each gear shaft, with the two shaft holes in the same pair being disposed opposite each other on the two side walls. The two ends of the gear shaft are rotatably disposed in the two shaft holes in the same pair.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, retaining rings are respectively provided at both ends of the gear shaft to limit the gear shaft between the two shaft holes in the second horizontal direction.

[0015] From the above technical solution, it can be seen that the advantages and positive effects of the intervertebral fusion cage proposed by the present invention are:

[0016] The intervertebral fusion device proposed in the present invention includes a main body, two support plates and a distraction assembly. The distraction assembly includes a screw and two sets of gear shafts. The two sets of gear shafts are respectively located above and below the screw, and the gear shafts are provided with gears and push arms distributed at intervals, and the gears are engaged with the screw. Accordingly, by adjusting the rotation of the screw, the two sets of gear shafts can be driven to rotate synchronously, and the push arms of the two sets of gear shafts push the two support plates to move in the vertical direction relative to the main body. Through the above design, the intervertebral fusion device proposed in the present invention has the advantages of simple structure and easy operation while realizing the synchronous distraction of the upper and lower support plates. In addition, since the distraction function is realized by adopting the coordinated design of the screw and the gear shaft, the meshing characteristics of the screw and the gear also enable the present invention to have a self-locking function. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The various objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are merely illustrative illustrations of the present invention and are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar parts throughout.

[0018] Figure 1 is an exploded schematic diagram showing an intervertebral fusion cage according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A front view of the main body of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A top view of the main body of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A left side view of the body of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0022] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A front view of an upper support plate of an intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0023] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A top view of an upper support plate of an intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0024] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A left side view of the upper support plate of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0025] Figure 8 yes Figure 1A front view of the lower support plate of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0026] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 A top view of the lower support plate of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0027] Figure 10 yes Figure 1 A left side view of the lower support plate of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0028] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 A front view of the screw of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0029] Figure 12 yes Figure 1 A front view of the gear shaft of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0030] Figure 13 yes Figure 1 A left side view of the gear shaft of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0031] Figure 14 yes Figure 1 A front view of the retaining ring of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown;

[0032] Figure 15 yes Figure 1 A front view of the locking pin of the intervertebral fusion cage is shown.

[0033] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0034] 100. Subject;

[0035] 110. Side wall;

[0036] 111. Chute;

[0037] 112. Upper shaft hole;

[0038] 113. Lower shaft hole;

[0039] 114. Upper connecting groove;

[0040] 115. Lower connecting groove;

[0041] 120. First end wall;

[0042] 121. First adjustment hole;

[0043] 122. Locking hole;

[0044] 123. Locking pin;

[0045] 124. Instrument holding hole;

[0046] 130. Second end wall;

[0047] 131. Second adjustment hole;

[0048] 200. Upper support plate;

[0049] 210. Upper slider;

[0050] 220. Upper boss;

[0051] 221. Avoidance slot;

[0052] 230. Upper through hole;

[0053] 240. Anti-slip structure;

[0054] 300. Lower support plate;

[0055] 310. Lower slider;

[0056] 320. Lower boss;

[0057] 330. Lower through hole;

[0058] 400. Screw;

[0059] 410. One-way thread;

[0060] 420. Conch head;

[0061] 421. Hexagonal structure;

[0062] 500. Gear shaft;

[0063] 510. Gear;

[0064] 520. Push arm;

[0065] 530. Retaining ring;

[0066] 540. Annular groove;

[0067] X. First horizontal direction;

[0068] Y. Second horizontal direction;

[0069] Z. Vertical direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] Typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of the present invention are described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that the present invention is capable of various variations in different embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the description and drawings are intended to be illustrative in nature and not to limit the present invention.

[0071] In the following description of different exemplary embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the present invention and in which are shown by way of example different exemplary structures, systems and steps that can implement aspects of the present invention. It should be understood that other specific schemes of components, structures, exemplary devices, systems and steps can be used, and structural and functional modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, although the terms "above", "between", "within", etc. may be used in this specification to describe different exemplary features and elements of the present invention, these terms are used herein for convenience only, for example, according to the directions of the examples described in the accompanying drawings. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional orientation of the structure to fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0072] See Figure 1 , which representatively shows an exploded schematic diagram of the intervertebral fusion device proposed by the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the intervertebral fusion device proposed by the present invention is described using an intervertebral fusion device for thoracolumbar intervertebral fusion as an example. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications, additions, substitutions, deletions, or other changes may be made to the specific embodiments described below in order to apply the relevant designs of the present invention to other types of fusion devices or other scenarios. Such modifications remain within the scope of the principles of the intervertebral fusion device proposed by the present invention.

[0073] like Figure 1 As shown in this embodiment, the intervertebral fusion device proposed by the present invention can be placed in the gap between two vertebrae and respectively spread the two vertebrae up and down. The intervertebral fusion device mainly includes a main body 100, two support plates and a spreading assembly. Figures 2 to 15 , Figure 2 : A front view of the main body 100 of the intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 3 , a top view of the main body 100 of the intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 4 : A left side view of the main body 100 of the intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 5 : A front view of an upper support plate 200 of an intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 6 : A top view of an upper support plate 200 of an intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 7 : A left side view of the upper support plate 200 of the intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 8 : A front view of a lower support plate 300 of an intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 9 : A top view of a lower support plate 300 of an intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 10 : A left side view of the lower support plate 300 of the intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 11 4 represents a front view of a screw rod 400 of an intervertebral fusion cage; Figure 12 : A front view of the gear shaft 500 of the intervertebral fusion device is representatively shown; Figure 13 : A left side view of the gear shaft 500 of the intervertebral fusion cage is representatively shown; Figure 14 5 represents a front view of the retaining ring 530 of the intervertebral fusion cage; Figure 15 1 represents a front view of the locking pin 123 of the intervertebral fusion cage. The following will describe in detail the structure, connection mode and functional relationship of the main components of the intervertebral fusion cage proposed by the present invention in conjunction with the above drawings.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the main body 100 has an inner cavity, and the top and bottom of the main body 100 are respectively provided with an upper opening and a lower opening, and the upper opening and the lower opening are respectively connected to the inner cavity. Two support plates are respectively provided at the upper opening and the lower opening, and the support plates slide in conjunction with the main body 100 and can be stretched relative to the main body 100. For ease of understanding and explanation, the support plate provided at the upper opening is defined as the upper support plate 200, and the support plate provided at the lower opening is defined as the lower support plate 300. That is, the upper support plate 200 can move upward relative to the main body 100 starting from the upper opening, and the lower support plate 300 can move downward relative to the main body 100 starting from the lower opening. The stretching assembly mainly includes a screw 400 and two sets of gear shafts. The screw 400 is rotatably provided in the inner cavity along the first horizontal direction X. The two sets of gear shafts are respectively located above and below the screw 400, and each set of gear shafts includes at least one gear shaft 500 (in this embodiment, each set of gear shafts includes two gear shafts 500 as an example for explanation). The gear shaft 500 is rotatably disposed in the inner cavity along a second horizontal direction Y perpendicular to the first horizontal direction X. The gear shaft 500 is provided with gears 510 and push arms 520 spaced apart along the second horizontal direction Y (i.e., the axial direction of the gear shaft 500). The gear 510 engages with the one-way thread 410 of the screw 400, and the push arms 520 extend radially along the gear shaft 500. Accordingly, when the two support plates of the intervertebral fusion device need to be spread apart, the screw 400 can be adjusted to rotate, and the screw 400 can be used to drive the upper and lower sets of gear shafts to rotate synchronously. The push arms 520 of the two sets of gear shafts rotate with the gear shaft 500, respectively pushing the upper and lower support plates to move in the vertical direction relative to the main body 100. Through the above design, the intervertebral fusion device proposed by the present invention not only achieves the synchronous spreading of the upper and lower support plates, but also has the advantages of simple structure and easy operation. Furthermore, since the expansion function is achieved by adopting the coordinated design of the screw 400 and the gear shaft 500 , the meshing characteristics of the screw 400 and the gear 510 also enable the present invention to have a self-locking function.

[0075] Preferably, if Figures 1 to 3As shown, in this embodiment, the main body 100 has two side walls 110 parallel to each other in the second horizontal direction Y. The main body 100 is provided with a pair of shaft holes corresponding to each gear shaft 500. The two shaft holes in the same pair are respectively arranged on the two side walls 110 in an opposite direction. The ends of the gear shaft 500 are rotatably disposed in the two shaft holes in the same pair. In this embodiment, each set of gear shafts includes two gear shafts 500 spaced apart along the first horizontal direction X. Therefore, the main body 100 is provided with four pairs of shaft holes. Specifically, these four pairs of shaft holes include two pairs of upper shaft holes 112 and two pairs of lower shaft holes 113.

[0076] Furthermore, if Figures 1 to 3 As shown, based on the design of the upper shaft hole 112, in this embodiment, two pairs of upper shaft holes 112 are arranged at intervals in the first horizontal direction X, and the two pairs of upper shaft holes 112 are respectively provided for the two gear shafts 500 located above the screw 400 to rotate. The two upper shaft holes 112 in the same pair are respectively provided on the two side walls 110. On this basis, the side wall 110 can preferably have an upper connecting groove 114 extending downward from the top edge, and the lower end of the upper connecting groove 114 is connected to the upper shaft hole 112, so that the upper shaft hole 112 presents an incomplete hole shape, similar to a hole-slot structure. The remaining hole shape of the upper shaft hole 112 can preferably be a superior arc shape, that is, the width of the position where the upper connecting groove 114 connects to the upper shaft hole 112 is less than the maximum width (or aperture) of the upper shaft hole 112, thereby enabling the end of the gear shaft 500 to be inserted into the upper shaft hole 112 and achieving the positioning of the gear shaft 500. Furthermore, the upper connecting groove 114 can preferably be an inverted trapezoidal groove, i.e., the width of the upper connecting groove 114 at the top edge of the side wall 110 is greater than the width at the location where it connects to the upper shaft hole 112. This facilitates insertion of the gear shaft 500 and provides a guiding function. In other embodiments, the upper shaft hole 112 can also be a complete hole formed in the side wall 110, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0077] Furthermore, if Figures 1 to 3As shown, based on the design of the lower shaft hole 113, in this embodiment, two pairs of lower shaft holes 113 are arranged at intervals in the first horizontal direction X, and the two pairs of lower shaft holes 113 are respectively provided for the two gear shafts 500 located below the screw 400 to rotate. The two lower shaft holes 113 of the same pair are respectively provided on the two side walls 110. On this basis, the side wall 110 can preferably open a lower connecting groove 115 from the bottom edge upward, and the upper end of the lower connecting groove 115 is connected to the lower shaft hole 113, so that the lower shaft hole 113 presents an incomplete hole shape, similar to a hole-slot structure. The remaining hole shape of the lower shaft hole 113 can preferably be a superior arc shape, that is, the width of the position where the lower connecting groove 115 is connected to the lower shaft hole 113 is less than the maximum width (or aperture) of the lower shaft hole 113, thereby enabling the end of the gear shaft 500 to be inserted into the lower shaft hole 113 and the positioning of the gear shaft 500 to be achieved. Furthermore, the lower connecting groove 115 can preferably be a trapezoidal groove, i.e., the width of the groove opening of the lower connecting groove 115 at the bottom edge of the side wall 110 is greater than the width of the portion connecting to the lower shaft hole 113. This facilitates operation during the insertion of the gear shaft 500 and provides a guiding function. In other embodiments, the lower shaft hole 113 can also be a complete hole formed in the side wall 110, and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0078] Further, if Figure 1 and Figure 14 As shown, based on the fact that the main body 100 has a side wall 110 and the side wall 110 is provided with an axial hole design, in this embodiment, both ends of the gear shaft 500 can preferably be respectively provided with a retaining ring 530 to limit the gear shaft 500 between the two axial holes in the second horizontal direction Y to prevent the gear shaft 500 from moving in the second horizontal direction Y.

[0079] Further, if Figure 1 and Figure 14 As shown, based on the design of the retaining ring 530, in this embodiment, the retaining ring 530 can preferably adopt a "C"-shaped structure.

[0080] Further, if Figure 1 and Figure 12 As shown, based on the design of the retaining ring 530, in this embodiment, two annular grooves 540 can be preferably provided near the two ends of the gear shaft 500 to respectively accommodate the two retaining rings 530 at the two ends of the gear shaft 500. Accordingly, when the two ends of the gear shaft 500 are selectively disposed in the two shaft holes (the upper shaft hole 112 or the lower shaft hole 113), the inner ring of the retaining ring 530 is retained in the annular groove 540, and the side surface of the retaining ring 530 abuts against the side wall 110, thereby limiting the position of the gear shaft 500.

[0081] Preferably, if Figures 1 to 4As shown, in this embodiment, the main body 100 has two end walls that oppose each other in the first horizontal direction X. For ease of understanding and description, the two end walls are defined below as a first end wall 120 and a second end wall 130. Adjustment holes are respectively defined in these two end walls, namely a first adjustment hole 121 in the first end wall 120 and a second adjustment hole 131 in the second end wall 130. The ends of the screw rod 400 are rotatably disposed in the two adjustment holes, and the screw head 420 of the screw rod 400 is preferably exposed outside the main body 100. The screw head 420 is exposed outside the first end wall 120 through the first adjustment hole 121.

[0082] Furthermore, if Figures 1 to 4 As shown, based on the design of the main body 100 having a first end wall 120 and a second end wall 130, in this embodiment, the first end wall 120 (i.e., the end wall where the screw head 420 is exposed) can preferably be provided with a locking hole 122 along the vertical direction Z. One end of the locking hole 122 is located at the top or bottom of the first end wall 120, and the other end of the locking hole 122 is connected to the first adjustment hole 121 provided in the first end wall 120. Furthermore, the intervertebral fusion cage can also preferably include a locking pin 123, which is detachably disposed in the locking hole 122 to lock the screw 400 in the horizontal direction to prevent the screw 400 from moving horizontally.

[0083] Furthermore, if Figures 1 to 4 As shown, based on the design that the main body 100 has a first end wall 120 and a second end wall 130, in this embodiment, the first end wall 120 can preferably be a flat plate structure, and the second end wall 130 can preferably be a curved surface structure.

[0084] Furthermore, if Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, based on the design of the main body 100 having a first end wall 120 and a second end wall 130, in this embodiment, two instrument holding holes 124 can be preferably opened on both sides of the outer surface of the first end wall 120, and these two instrument holding holes 124 are respectively located on both sides of the first adjustment hole 121.

[0085] Preferably, if Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the surface of the upper support plate 200 facing the main body 100 (i.e., the lower surface) can preferably be provided with an upper slider 210. Accordingly, the main body 100 can preferably be provided with a slide groove 111, which extends along the vertical direction Z. Accordingly, the upper slider 210 slidably cooperates with the slide groove 111, so that the upper support plate 200 can be slidably disposed in the upper opening of the main body 100.

[0086] Furthermore, if Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, based on the design in which the upper support plate 200 is provided with upper sliders 210 and the main body 100 is provided with slide grooves 111, in this embodiment, the support plate may further preferably be provided with two pairs of upper sliders 210. The two pairs of upper sliders 210 are spaced apart along the first horizontal direction X, and the two upper sliders 210 in the same pair are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction Y. Accordingly, the main body 100 may further preferably be provided with two pairs of slide grooves 111. The two pairs of slide grooves 111 are spaced apart along the first horizontal direction X, and the two slide grooves 111 in the same pair are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction Y. Accordingly, the two pairs of upper sliders 210 correspond to the two pairs of slide grooves 111, and the two upper sliders 210 in the same pair correspond to the two slide grooves 111 in the same pair. That is, the four sliders slide in a one-to-one correspondence with the four slide grooves 111. In other embodiments, the number of upper sliders 210 may be one, two, three, or more than four, and the number of slide grooves 111 may be one, two, three, or more than four. When there are multiple upper sliders 210, the multiple upper sliders 210 can also be distributed in other ways. When there are multiple chute 111, other distribution patterns can also be adopted. The number of upper sliders 210 is not limited to being equal to the number of chute 111, nor is the upper slider 210 limited to a one-to-one correspondence with the chute 111. For example, a design can be adopted in which two or more of the multiple upper sliders 210 are simultaneously slidably engaged with a single chute 111. This is not limited to the present embodiment.

[0087] Preferably, if Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the surface of the lower support plate 300 facing the main body 100 (i.e., the upper surface) can preferably be provided with a lower slider 310. Accordingly, the main body 100 can preferably be provided with a slide groove 111, which extends along the vertical direction Z. Accordingly, the lower slider 310 slidably cooperates with the slide groove 111, so that the lower support plate 300 can be slidably disposed in the lower opening of the main body 100.

[0088] Furthermore, if Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 8As shown, based on the design in which the lower support plate 300 is provided with lower sliders 310 and the main body 100 is provided with slide grooves 111, in this embodiment, the support plate can further preferably be provided with two pairs of lower sliders 310. The two pairs of lower sliders 310 are spaced apart along the first horizontal direction X, and the two lower sliders 310 in the same pair are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction Y. Accordingly, the main body 100 can further preferably be provided with two pairs of slide grooves 111. The two pairs of slide grooves 111 are spaced apart along the first horizontal direction X, and the two slide grooves 111 in the same pair are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction Y. Accordingly, the two pairs of lower sliders 310 correspond to the two pairs of slide grooves 111, and the two lower sliders 310 in the same pair correspond to the two slide grooves 111 in the same pair. That is, the four sliders slide in a one-to-one correspondence with the four slide grooves 111. In other embodiments, the number of lower sliders 310 can also be one, two, three, or more than four, and the number of slide grooves 111 can also be one, two, three, or more than four. When there are multiple lower sliders 310, the multiple lower sliders 310 can also be distributed in other ways. When there are multiple chute 111, other distribution patterns can also be adopted. The number of lower sliders 310 is not limited to being equal to the number of chute 111, nor is a one-to-one correspondence between lower sliders 310 and chute 111. For example, a design can be adopted in which two or more of the multiple lower sliders 310 are simultaneously slidably engaged with a single chute 111. This is not limited to the present embodiment.

[0089] Furthermore, if Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 5 and Figure 8As shown, based on the above-described design of the upper slider 210, the lower slider 310, and the chute 111, in this embodiment, the number of upper sliders 210 provided on the upper support plate 200 and the number of lower sliders 310 provided on the lower support plate 300 are both four, that is, the number of upper sliders 210 and the number of lower sliders 310 can preferably be equal. Furthermore, when the number of upper sliders 210 and the number of lower sliders 310 are equal, the arrangement of the two can further preferably be the same, that is, multiple upper sliders 210 correspond one-to-one with multiple lower sliders 310, that is, each upper slider 210 corresponds to a lower slider 310 located below it in the vertical direction Z. On this basis, each pair of corresponding upper sliders 210 and lower sliders 310 can further preferably share a chute 111, that is, each chute 111 is slidably engaged with one upper slider 210 and one lower slider 310, and the upper slider 210 is located above the lower slider 310. Specifically, taking the example of four upper sliders 210 and four lower sliders 310 in this embodiment, the main body 100 may be provided with four corresponding chute grooves 111, and these four chute grooves 111 may be divided into two pairs, with the two pairs of chute grooves 111 spaced apart along the first horizontal direction X, and the two chute grooves 111 in the same pair spaced apart along the second horizontal direction Y. In other embodiments, when the upper sliders 210 and the lower sliders 310 correspond one-to-one, they may each slidably engage with an independent chute groove 111, and the chute grooves 111 engaged by the upper slider 210 and the corresponding chute grooves 111 engaged by the lower slider 310 are disposed on the main body 100 with an interval in the vertical direction Z. Furthermore, when the upper sliders 210 and the lower sliders 310 do not adopt a one-to-one correspondence design, the chute grooves 111 engaged by the upper slider 210 and the corresponding chute grooves 111 engaged by the lower slider 310 may also be staggered in the horizontal direction, without being limited to this embodiment.

[0090] Further, if Figures 1 to 4 As shown, based on the design that the main body 100 is provided with a slide groove 111 , in this embodiment, the main body 100 has two side walls 110 parallel in the second horizontal direction Y. On this basis, the slide groove 111 can be preferably provided on at least one of the two side walls 110 .

[0091] Further, if Figures 1 to 4 As shown, based on the design that the slide groove 111 is arranged on the side wall 110, and based on the design that two pairs of slide grooves 111 are arranged on the main body 100, in this embodiment, the two slide grooves 111 of the same pair can be respectively arranged on the two side walls 110, that is, each slide groove 111 belonging to the two pairs is arranged at intervals along the first horizontal direction X on one side wall 110, and each other slide groove 111 belonging to the two pairs is arranged at intervals along the first horizontal direction X on the other side wall 110.

[0092] Preferably, if Figure 1 、 Figures 5 to 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the surface of the upper support plate 200 facing the main body 100 (i.e., the lower surface) can preferably be provided with an upper boss 220 protruding toward the main body 100. Specifically, the upper boss 220 is roughly annular in structure and surrounds the inner side of the periphery of the lower surface of the upper support plate 200. On this basis, the outer peripheral shape of the upper support plate 200 can preferably match the outer peripheral shape of the main body 100, and the outer peripheral shape of the upper boss 220 can preferably match the shape of the upper opening (including the lower opening). Accordingly, when the upper support plate 200 is not opened and is set at the upper opening, the outer periphery of the upper boss 220 fits with the inner wall of the main body 100 (i.e., the wall of the inner cavity), so that the upper support plate 200 uses the upper boss 220 to close the upper opening, and the outer periphery of the upper support plate 200 and the outer periphery of the main body 100 roughly form an integral structure. In other embodiments, the upper boss 220 may also be a plate-shaped structure, a block-shaped structure, or a discontinuous ring-shaped structure, etc., and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0093] Furthermore, if Figure 1 、 Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, based on the design of the upper boss 220 and the design of the upper support plate 200 being provided with the upper slider 210, in this embodiment, the upper slider 210 can preferably be provided on the outer periphery of the upper boss 220. Accordingly, when the upper support plate 200 is not opened and is closed at the upper opening, the outer periphery of the upper boss 220 is in contact with the inner wall of the main body 100, and the upper slider 210 protruding from the outer periphery of the upper boss 220 is accommodated in the slide groove 111 provided in the main body 100. When the opening assembly opens the upper support plate 200 upward relative to the main body 100, the upper slider 210 slides in the slide groove 111. In addition, the slide groove 111 in this embodiment adopts a structure with closed ends at the upper and lower ends, which can prevent the upper slider 210 from escaping from the slide groove 111, thereby limiting the upward movement of the upper support plate 200.

[0094] Furthermore, if Figure 1 、 Figure 5 and Figure 7As shown, based on the design of the upper boss 220, in this embodiment, when the upper boss 220 has a certain thickness in the vertical direction Z, the upper boss 220 may also preferably be provided with an avoidance groove 221 to avoid structural interference with the screw 400 and the gear shaft 500 when the upper support plate 200 is not expanded or is just beginning to be expanded. In other embodiments, based on the design of the upper boss 220, when the thickness of the upper boss 220 in the vertical direction Z is relatively thin, the avoidance groove 221 may not be provided. That is, when the upper support plate 200 is not expanded and is positioned at the upper opening, if the thickness of the upper boss 220 is not sufficient to cause structural interference with the screw 400 and the gear shaft 500, then the avoidance groove 221 is not necessary, and this is not limited to this embodiment.

[0095] Preferably, if Figure 1 、 Figures 5 to 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the surface of the lower support plate 300 facing the main body 100 (i.e., the upper surface) can preferably be provided with a lower boss 320 protruding toward the main body 100. Specifically, the lower boss 320 is roughly annular in structure and surrounds the inner side of the periphery of the upper surface of the lower support plate 300. On this basis, the outer peripheral shape of the lower support plate 300 can preferably match the outer peripheral shape of the main body 100, and the outer peripheral shape of the lower boss 320 can preferably match the shape of the lower opening (including the upper opening). Accordingly, when the lower support plate 300 is not opened and is set at the lower opening, the outer periphery of the lower boss 320 fits with the inner wall of the main body 100 (i.e., the wall of the inner cavity), so that the lower support plate 300 uses the lower boss 320 to close the lower opening, and the outer periphery of the lower support plate 300 and the outer periphery of the main body 100 roughly form an integral structure. In other embodiments, the lower boss 320 may also be a plate-shaped structure, a block-shaped structure, or a discontinuous ring-shaped structure, etc., and is not limited to this embodiment.

[0096] Furthermore, if Figure 1 、 Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, based on the design of the lower boss 320 and the design of the lower support plate 300 being provided with the lower slider 310, in this embodiment, the lower slider 310 can preferably be provided on the outer periphery of the lower boss 320. Accordingly, when the lower support plate 300 is not opened and is closed at the lower opening, the outer periphery of the lower boss 320 is in contact with the inner wall of the main body 100, and the lower slider 310 protruding from the outer periphery of the lower boss 320 is accommodated in the slide groove 111 provided in the main body 100. When the opening assembly opens the lower support plate 300 downward relative to the main body 100, the lower slider 310 slides in the slide groove 111. In addition, the slide groove 111 in this embodiment adopts a structure with closed ends at the upper and lower ends, which can prevent the lower slider 310 from falling out of the slide groove 111, thereby limiting the downward movement of the lower support plate 300.

[0097] Further, if Figure 1 、 Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, based on the design of the lower boss 320, in this embodiment, when the lower boss 320 has a certain thickness in the vertical direction Z, the lower boss 320 may also preferably be provided with an avoidance groove 221 to avoid structural interference with the screw 400 and the gear shaft 500 when the lower support plate 300 is not extended or is just beginning to be extended. In other embodiments, based on the design of the lower boss 320, when the thickness of the lower boss 320 in the vertical direction Z is relatively thin, the avoidance groove 221 may not be provided. That is, when the lower support plate 300 is not extended and is positioned at the lower opening, if the thickness of the lower boss 320 is not sufficient to cause structural interference with the screw 400 and the gear shaft 500, the avoidance groove 221 may not be provided, and this is not limited to this embodiment.

[0098] Preferably, if Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the surface of the upper support plate 200 facing away from the main body 100 (i.e., the upper surface) can preferably be provided with an anti-slip structure 240 to increase the surface area of ​​the upper surface of the upper support plate 200, thereby optimizing the combination effect between the upper support plate 200 and the vertebrae.

[0099] Preferably, if Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, in this embodiment, the surface of the lower support plate 300 facing away from the main body 100 (i.e., the lower surface) can preferably be provided with an anti-slip structure 240 to increase the surface area of ​​the lower surface of the lower support plate 300, thereby optimizing the combination effect of the lower support plate 300 and the vertebrae.

[0100] Further, if Figure 5 、 Figure 6 、 Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, based on the design of the anti-slip structure 240 of the upper support plate 200 and the lower support plate 300, in this embodiment, the shape of the anti-slip structure 240 can preferably be a wavy texture. In other embodiments, the shape of the anti-slip structure 240 can also adopt a serrated texture (e.g., trapezoidal serrations, rectangular serrations, etc.), an irregular texture, etc., and is not limited to this embodiment. In addition, when both the upper support plate 200 and the lower support plate 300 are provided with an anti-slip structure 240, the anti-slip structures 240 provided on the upper support plate 200 and the lower support plate 300 are not limited to being the same.

[0101] Preferably, if Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the upper support plate 200 may preferably be provided with an upper through hole 230 , and the upper through hole 230 passes through the upper surface and the lower surface of the upper support plate 200 .

[0102] Preferably, if Figure 10 As shown, in this embodiment, the lower support plate 300 may preferably be provided with a lower through hole 330 , and the lower through hole 330 passes through the upper surface and the lower surface of the lower support plate 300 .

[0103] Preferably, if Figure 1 and Figure 11 As shown, in this embodiment, the body of the screw rod 400 is provided with a one-way thread 410, and one end of the screw rod 400 is provided with a screw head 420. The end surface of the screw head 420 can preferably be provided with an internal hexagonal structure 421. Accordingly, when the two support plates need to be spread apart, an external hexagonal wrench or other tool can be used to engage the internal hexagonal structure 421 of the screw head 420 to achieve rotational adjustment of the screw rod 400. In other embodiments, the end surface of the screw head 420 can also be provided with other structures that facilitate screwing, such as an external hexagonal structure, an internal triangular structure, etc., and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0104] Preferably, if Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, each group of gear shafts may preferably include two gear shafts 500, and the two gear shafts 500 in the same group are spaced apart along the first horizontal direction X. In other embodiments, the number of gear shafts 500 included in each group of gear shafts may also be one, three, or four or more. When a group of gear shafts includes multiple gear shafts 500, the gear shafts 500 in the same group are spaced apart along the first horizontal direction X. In addition, the number of gear shafts 500 included in the upper and lower groups of gear shafts may preferably be the same, but may also be different.

[0105] Further, if Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, based on the design that each gear shaft group includes two gear shafts 500, the gear shafts 500 included in each of the upper and lower gear shaft groups can preferably be arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, any gear shaft 500 located above the screw 400 is arranged vertically opposite a gear shaft 500 located below the screw 400 in the vertical direction Z. In other embodiments, regardless of whether the number of gear shafts in the two groups is the same, the two groups of gear shafts can also be arranged in a staggered manner, and this is not limited to this embodiment.

[0106] Preferably, if Figure 1 、 Figure 12 and Figure 13As shown, in this embodiment, each gear shaft 500 may preferably be provided with two pushing arms 520. The two pushing arms 520 may preferably be located on both sides of the gear 510 in the first horizontal direction X. Accordingly, by providing multiple pushing arms 520 on each gear shaft 500, the stability of the support plate expansion can be further optimized, and the operator can also save more effort. In other embodiments, each gear shaft 500 may also be provided with only one pushing arm 520, or more than two pushing arms 520, and when multiple pushing arms 520 are provided on the gear shaft 500, a portion of these pushing arms 520 may preferably be provided on one side of the gear 510 along the second horizontal direction Y, and the remaining pushing arms 520 may be provided on the other side of the gear 510. In addition, the number of pushing arms 520 provided on each gear shaft 500 is not limited to the same, and the arrangement form is not limited to the same, and both are not limited to the present embodiment.

[0107] It should be noted that if Figures 1 to 10 As shown, in this embodiment, the structures of the upper support plate 200 and the lower support plate 300 are substantially identical. This can also be understood as the upper support plate 200 and the lower support plate 300 being mirror images relative to a reference plane, and the reference plane is the middle horizontal plane of the main body 100. Furthermore, based on the design that the upper support plate 200 and the lower support plate 300 have substantially identical structures, the main body 100 can also be a mirror image symmetrical structure, and the mirror images of the upper and lower parts of the main body 100 are also relative to the aforementioned reference plane. In other embodiments, the upper support plate 200 and the lower support plate 300 may also differ in several aspects, such as different shapes, thicknesses, or sizes. In this way, the structure of the main body 100 can also be adjusted accordingly based on the structural differences between the upper support plate 200 and the lower support plate 300, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0108] It should be noted that the intervertebral fusion cages shown in the drawings and described in this specification are only a few examples of the many types of intervertebral fusion cages that can employ the principles of the present invention. It should be clearly understood that the principles of the present invention are in no way limited to any details of the intervertebral fusion cages shown in the drawings or described in this specification, or to any components of the intervertebral fusion cages.

[0109] In summary, the intervertebral fusion device proposed in the present invention includes a main body, two support plates and a distraction assembly. The distraction assembly includes a screw and two sets of gear shafts. The two sets of gear shafts are respectively located above and below the screw, and the gear shafts are provided with gears and push arms distributed at intervals, and the gears are engaged with the screw. Accordingly, by adjusting the rotation of the screw, the two sets of gear shafts can be driven to rotate synchronously, and the push arms of the two sets of gear shafts push the two support plates to move in the vertical direction relative to the main body. Through the above design, the intervertebral fusion device proposed in the present invention has the advantages of simple structure and easy operation while realizing the synchronous distraction of the upper and lower support plates. In addition, since the distraction function is realized by adopting the coordinated design of the screw and the gear shaft, the meshing characteristics of the screw and the gear also enable the present invention to have a self-locking function.

[0110] The above describes and / or illustrates in detail exemplary embodiments of the intervertebral fusion device proposed by the present invention. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the components and / or steps of each embodiment can be used independently and separately from other components and / or steps described herein. Each component and / or each step of one embodiment can also be used in combination with other components and / or steps of other embodiments. When introducing the elements / components / etc. described and / or illustrated herein, the terms "a", "an", and "above" are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements / components / etc. The terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are used to express an open-ended inclusive meaning and mean that additional elements / components / etc. may be present in addition to the listed elements / components / etc. In addition, the terms "first" and "second", etc. in the claims and the specification are used only as labels and do not constitute numerical limitations on their objects.

[0111] While the intervertebral fusion cage of the present invention has been described with reference to various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An intervertebral fusion cage, characterized in that: and a gear engaged with the screw and the gear engaged with the screw, and the gear engaged with the screw and the gear engaged with the screw, and the gear engaged with the screw and the gear engaged with the screw, and the gear engaged with the screw and the gear engaged with the screw, and the gear engaged with the screw and the gear engaged with the gear, and the gear engaged with the screw and the gear engaged with the gear, and the gear engaged with the screw and the gear engaged with the gear, and the gear engaged with the screw, and the gear engaged with the gear The surface of the support plate facing the main body is provided with a slider, and the main body is provided with a slide groove, which extends in a vertical direction, and the slider slides in cooperation with the slide groove; the support plate is provided with multiple pairs of sliders, and the multiple pairs of sliders are arranged at intervals along a first horizontal direction, and the two sliders in the same pair are arranged at intervals along a second horizontal direction; the main body is provided with multiple pairs of slide grooves, and the multiple pairs of slide grooves are arranged at intervals along the first horizontal direction, and the two slide grooves in the same pair are arranged at intervals along the second horizontal direction; wherein, the multiple sliders slide in cooperation with the multiple slide grooves in a one-to-one correspondence.

2. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The numbers of the sliders provided on the two support plates are equal and correspond one to one; wherein the two support plates share a plurality of the sliding grooves, and each of the sliding grooves simultaneously slides with two corresponding sliders belonging to the two support plates.

3. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 2, characterized in that: The main body has two side walls that are parallel in a second horizontal direction, and the plurality of sliding grooves are respectively arranged on the two side walls.

4. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the support plate facing the main body is provided with a boss protruding toward the main body, and the outer peripheral shape of the boss matches the shapes of the upper opening and the lower opening; wherein the slider is arranged on the outer periphery of the boss.

5. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, wherein: Each group of the gear shafts includes a plurality of the gear shafts, and the plurality of gear shafts are distributed at intervals along a first horizontal direction.

6. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each gear shaft is provided with a plurality of pushing arms, a portion of the plurality of pushing arms is located on one side of the gear in the first horizontal direction, and another portion of the plurality of pushing arms is located on the other side of the gear in the first horizontal direction.

7. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body has two side walls parallel to each other in the second horizontal direction. The main body is provided with a pair of axial holes corresponding to each gear shaft, and the two axial holes in the same pair are respectively arranged on the two side walls opposite to each other; wherein the two ends of the gear shaft are respectively rotatably arranged in the two axial holes in the same pair.

8. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 7, characterized in that: Retaining rings are respectively provided at both ends of the gear shaft to limit the gear shaft between the two shaft holes in the second horizontal direction.

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