Prior art — US Patent 11376136

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 11376136 and provide the requested details, I will first locate the patent on the USPTO website and then analyze its cited references.

US Patent 11376136: Expandable spinal implant and tool system

Publication Number: US11376136B2
Title: Expandable spinal implant and tool system
Publication Date: 2022-07-05
Filing Date: 2020-01-16
Assignee: Moskowitz Family LLC
Inventors: Ahmnon D. Moskowitz, Pablo A. Valdivia Y. Alvarado, Mosheh T. Moskowitz, Nathan C. Moskowitz

Legal Status

The patent's legal status is listed as "Expired - Lifetime, expires 2026-03-17". It also indicates ongoing litigation, including a PTAB case IPR2026-00163 (Pending) and US cases filed in Minnesota and Delaware District Courts.

Most Relevant Prior Art (Cited References)

The patent text explicitly references several prior U.S. patent applications and patents as being incorporated by reference. These are key to understanding the prior art.

U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/670,231
- Full Citation: U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/670,231
- Publication/Filing Date: April 12, 2005 (Priority Date)
- Brief Description: This provisional application serves as the earliest priority date for the family of patents leading to US11376136B2. It would generally describe early concepts related to the bidirectional screw (BDS) system or bi-directional fixating transvertebral (BDFT) screws and their application to the spine.
- Potentially Anticipates: This provisional application likely anticipates many of the core inventive concepts of US11376136B2 related to BDFT screws, intervertebral spacers, and bone fusion apparatuses, as it is the foundational priority document. Specific claims would depend on the detailed content of this provisional application, but it likely covers the general concepts of a self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus with opposing screws and adjustable components (Claims 1, 9, 14), as well as associated tools and staples (Claims 19, 25, 29).
U.S. application Ser. No. 11/208,644
- Full Citation: U.S. application Ser. No. 11/208,644 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,704,279)
- Publication/Filing Date: August 23, 2005 (Filed)
- Brief Description: This is a continuation-in-part of the provisional application and details the evolution of the bidirectional screw system. It likely covers the initial designs of BDFT screws, intervertebral spacers, and potentially early versions of the expandable screw box or facet staples.
- Potentially Anticipates: Given its "continuation-in-part" status, this patent application likely anticipates many claims of US11376136B2 that relate to the fundamental design and function of the BDFT screw apparatus, including the concept of a box housing two screws, their opposing directions, and features like bone graft holes and ridged surfaces (Claims 1, 9, 14). It also mentions an earlier lumbar facet staple (referenced in 11376136B2 as Ser. No. 14/536,815, which itself cites Ser. No. 11/208,644), indicating anticipation of concepts in Claim 29.
U.S. application Ser. No. 11/536,815
- Full Citation: U.S. application Ser. No. 11/536,815 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,846,188)
- Publication/Filing Date: September 29, 2006 (Filed)
- Brief Description: This is another continuation-in-part, building upon the previous applications. It would likely introduce further refinements or new embodiments of the BDFT screw system, possibly including early concepts of the expanding screw box with sliding bases or more developed facet staple designs with calibrated mechanisms.
- Potentially Anticipates: As a continuation-in-part, this application is highly likely to anticipate claims related to the expanding screw box with sliding triangular bases and an adjuster (Claim 1), as well as features such as sliding rails and ridged surfaces (Claim 6, 7). It also explicitly mentions the lumbar facet staple with a calibrated ratcheting mechanism (Claim 29), which is further improved in 11376136B2.
U.S. application Ser. No. 11/842,855
- Full Citation: U.S. application Ser. No. 11/842,855 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,903)
- Publication/Filing Date: August 21, 2007 (Filed)
- Brief Description: This application serves as a continuation for later patents and would encompass the developments from the earlier applications, further detailing the BDFT screw system and its various embodiments, including potentially the tool systems and plate/cage attachments.
- Potentially Anticipates: This application, being a direct lineage, is likely to anticipate a broad range of claims, including the self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus (Claims 1, 9, 14), the attachment members like plates or circumferential cages (Claim 17), and aspects of the tool assembly (Claim 19).
U.S. application Ser. No. 13/084,543
- Full Citation: U.S. application Ser. No. 13/084,543 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,913)
- Publication/Filing Date: April 11, 2011 (Filed)
- Brief Description: This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/842,855. It would describe the continued evolution and specific embodiments of the expandable spinal implant and tool system.
- Potentially Anticipates: As a continuation, this application would cover the various embodiments of the screw box, including the expandable and non-expandable versions, single-screw boxes, and the integration with plates or cages. Therefore, it would potentially anticipate Claims 1, 9, 14, and 17.
U.S. application Ser. No. 13/108,982
- Full Citation: U.S. application Ser. No. 13/108,982 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,005,293)
- Publication/Filing Date: May 16, 2011 (Filed)
- Brief Description: This is also a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/842,855. It would detail further developments and specific features of the expandable spinal implant and tool system, potentially focusing on the cervical facet staples or specific aspects of the tool assembly.
- Potentially Anticipates: Similar to the previous continuation, this application would likely anticipate Claims 1, 9, 14, 17, and particularly the claims related to the cervical facet staple (Claim 25) and the impaction tool (Claim 29).
U.S. Pat. No. 10,537,442
- Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 10,537,442
- Publication/Filing Date: April 3, 2018 (Filing date of parent application Ser. No. 15/944,117)
- Brief Description: This patent is a direct antecedent, being a continuation application in the chain leading to US11376136B2. It would describe aspects of the expandable spinal implant and tool system.
- Potentially Anticipates: As a direct continuation, this patent is highly likely to anticipate most, if not all, of the claims in US11376136B2, especially those related to the self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus, its various configurations, and the associated tool system and staples (Claims 1-30).
U.S. Pat. No. 10,390,969
- Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 10,390,969
- Publication/Filing Date: February 12, 2018 (Filing date of parent application Ser. No. 15/894,471)
- Brief Description: This patent is also a direct antecedent, being a continuation application in the chain leading to US11376136B2. It would describe aspects of the expandable spinal implant and tool system.
- Potentially Anticipates: As a direct continuation, this patent is highly likely to anticipate most, if not all, of the claims in US11376136B2, especially those related to the self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus, its various configurations, and the associated tool system and staples (Claims 1-30).
U.S. Pat. No. 9,889,022
- Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 9,889,022
- Publication/Filing Date: August 15, 2011 (Filing date of parent application Ser. No. 13/210,157)
- Brief Description: This patent is a direct antecedent, being a continuation application in the chain leading to US11376136B2. It would describe aspects of the expandable spinal implant and tool system.
- Potentially Anticipates: As a direct continuation, this patent is highly likely to anticipate most, if not all, of the claims in US11376136B2, especially those related to the self-drilling bone fusion screw apparatus, its various configurations, and the associated tool system and staples (Claims 1-30).

It is important to note that without the full text of each cited patent and application, a definitive determination of anticipation for each claim under 35 U.S.C. § 102 cannot be made with absolute certainty. However, given their familial relationship and the "continuation" or "continuation-in-part" status, these documents are the most relevant prior art and are highly likely to anticipate many of the claims of US11376136B2.