US 10603183

US patent 10603183, titled "Bi-directional fixating/locking transvertebral body screw/intervertebral cage stand-alone constructs having a central screw locking lever, and pliers and devices for spinal fusion," was granted to Moskowitz Family LLC. The inventors are Ahmnon D. Moskowitz, Nathan C. Moskowitz, Mosheh T. Moskowitz, and Pablo A. Valdivia Y. Alvarado. The application was filed on August 10, 2018, and the patent was issued on March 31, 2020.

Abstract:
The patent describes a bi-directional fixating transvertebral (BDFT) screw/cage apparatus and its insertion method. The apparatus includes an intervertebral cage designed to maintain disc height, featuring first and second internal screw guides, and corresponding first and second screw members. A central screw locking lever, either a rotatable handle and stem or a screw locking horizontal bracket, is coupled to the cage to prevent the screws from pulling out. The patent also covers a pliers device for inserting and removing the BDFT screw/cage apparatus, as well as a posterior cervical and lumbar facet joint staple and a staple gun for these staples.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:
The full text of the claims for US10603183 is not provided in the authoritative source. Therefore, the following overviews are inferred from the "aspects of the invention" described within the patent's summary and detailed description, and may not represent the complete and precise wording of the granted independent claims.

1. BDFT Screw/Cage Apparatus: This claim likely covers an intervertebral cage designed to maintain disc height, featuring internal screw guides that orient two screw members (first and second) in opposing bi-directional directions. The apparatus also includes a central screw locking mechanism (either a rotatable lever or a horizontal bracket) coupled to the cage to prevent the screw members from dislodging.
2. Pliers Device: This claim likely describes a specialized pliers device for inserting and removing the locking mechanism (specifically, the screw locking horizontal bracket) of the BDFT screw/cage apparatus. The pliers consist of two rotatably connected arms, each with a handle and a plier tip. These tips include stops configured to engage the bracket's flexion grips, and a leaf spring is present between the arms to bias the handles into an open position.
3. Lumbar Facet Joint Staple Gun: This claim likely pertains to a staple gun designed for a lumbar facet joint staple. It comprises a handle with upper and lower bars, a hollow cylinder body for holding the staple, a connector linking the cylinder to the handle, a puller running through the cylinder, and a puller tip attached to the puller's end. The puller tip can move between open and closed positions when the handle is open, and is locked in the closed position by the cylinder body when the handle is closed.
4. Method of Inserting BDFT Screw/Cage Apparatus: This claim likely covers a surgical method for implanting a BDFT screw/cage apparatus between two vertebral bodies. The method involves inserting an intervertebral cage into the disc space until it is flush or countersunk, followed by inserting and screwing first and second screw members into the superior and inferior vertebral bodies through the cage's internal guides. The screw members are then locked into the intervertebral cage using a central screw locking lever, which can be rotated or a press-fit horizontal bracket, to prevent pull-out.

Legal Status and Docket Information (as of April 26, 2026):

• USPTO Status: Google Patents currently lists the legal status as "Expired - Lifetime." However, a patent issued on March 31, 2020, would typically not have expired by April 26, 2026, as utility patents generally have a term of 20 years from the earliest filing date. This "Expired - Lifetime" status may be an error in the Google Patents interface or a specific interpretation by Google that does not reflect the patent's actual legal standing with the USPTO.
• Post-Grant Proceedings: A PTAB case, IPR2026-00285, has been filed and is currently pending.
• Litigation: A U.S. case (0:25-cv-00769) has been filed in the Minnesota District Court. Additionally, the patent family has seen its first worldwide litigation filed on August 23, 2005, which is related to the priority date of the earliest application in the chain, not necessarily US10603183 directly.