Michael D Ensign
Engineers in Salt Lake City, UT

2012021, Aug 30, 2012

Mar 13, 2012

13/418802

David T. Hawkes - Pleasant Grove UT, US
Michael D. Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US

Alphatec Spine, Inc. - Carlsbad CA

B25B 23/10, F16B 23/00

81451, 411403

A driver including a handle, lever, swivel cap, shaft, and a tip mechanically connected to the lever configured to engage a screw. Engaging the lever causes the tip to either compress or expand so as to lock the screw to the driver. According to one exemplary embodiment, the cap can be translated releasing the lever, thereby releasing the screw from the tip. According to one embodiment, the cap is a swivel cap allowing for jeweler style use. Advantages of the present system and method, according to various embodiments, include a tip compressing a feature that is within an outer diameter of the screw allowing a driver, or a portion thereof, to have a maximum diameter equal to or smaller than the maximum diameter of a screw.

2013013, Jun 6, 2013

Jan 2, 2013

13/732734

Michael D. Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US

Alphatec Spine, Inc. - Carlsbad CA

B25B 23/10

81452

A driver including a handle, lever, swivel cap, shaft, and a tip mechanically connected to the lever configured to engage a screw. Engaging the lever causes the tip to either compress or expand so as to lock the screw to the driver. According to one exemplary embodiment, the cap can be translated releasing the lever, thereby releasing the screw from the tip. According to one embodiment, the cap is a swivel cap allowing for jeweler style use. Advantages of the present system and method, according to various embodiments, include a tip compressing a feature that is within an outer diameter of the screw allowing a driver, or a portion thereof, to have a maximum diameter equal to or smaller than the maximum diameter of a screw.

2008007, Mar 20, 2008

Sep 17, 2007

11/856673

Michael D. Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US

A61B 17/58, A61B 17/56

606 61, 606103, 606 73

A connection member for percutaneously coupling to one or more orthopedic fasteners includes a fastener head securing member including a fastener head securing orifice having an axis defined by a wall member terminating in a seating member, an adjustable compression member coupled to a surface of the wall member, a rod coupled to a lower half of the wall member, and a fastener head receiving orifice formed in the wall member, wherein the fastener head receiving orifice is formed transverse to and intersects the screw head securing orifice axis.

7445627, Nov 4, 2008

Jan 30, 2006

11/342420

David T. Hawkes - Pleasant Grove UT, US
David R. Warnick - Spanish Fork UT, US
Michael D. Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US

AlpineSpine, LLC - American Fork UT

A61B 17/58, A61F 2/30

606269, 606266

A fastener and a bone fixation assembly for the internal fixation of vertebral bodies such as a pedicle screw is provided which allows a detachable tulip to be provisionally locked to a pedicle screw, while separately, the rod securely locks to the tulip. According to one exemplary embodiment, the tulip assembly includes a tulip body and an inner tulip member, the tulip body having a non-circular surface disposed on an outer surface. Additionally, a fastener is coupled to the tulip assembly and positionable to retain the tulip assembly on the head of a screw. Further, a cap having an outer surface and a plurality of inner protrusions is provided, wherein the plurality of inner protrusions are configured to mateably connect to the non-circular surface on the tulip body to compress the tulip assembly and secure a rod.

8100948, Jan 24, 2012

May 7, 2008

12/116751

Michael D. Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US
David T. Hawkes - Pleasant Grove UT, US

K2M, Inc. - Leesburg VA

A61B 17/70

606267, 606305

A pedicle screw and rod assembly is provided which has a low profile in the final position. The pedicle screw includes a screw having a threaded portion and a head portion. A tulip body is positioned on the head portion of the screw. A tulip saddle is coupled to the tulip body and positioned to retain the tulip assembly on the pedicle screw. Wedge members are inserted in between the tulip body and the tulip saddle, causing the saddle to compress and thereby retain a rod within the tulip assembly. Colored wedge members alert a surgeon as to whether the system is in a locked or unlocked state. The top of the tulip assembly is approximately equal in height to, or lower than the rod itself. This provides a low profile pedicle screw and rod assembly since the rod itself will be the uppermost member of the completed assembly.

2006020, Sep 14, 2006

Nov 21, 2005

11/284438

Michael Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US
David Hawkes - Pleasant Grove UT, US
Thomas Sweeney - Sarasota FL, US

Alphaspine, Inc. - Sarasota FL

A61F 2/30, A61B 17/58

606061000, 606072000

The disclosure generally relates to rod-coupling assemblies for coupling rods from separate pedicle screw systems. The rod-coupling assemblies generally include at least one rod-receiving body and at least one cam mechanism. The rod-receiving body and cam mechanism cooperate to capture and retain a distraction rod therewith. The cam mechanism includes a helical cam surface that mates with the rod and urges the rod into a retained position by rotation of the cam mechanism. In one embodiment, the assembly is configured to capture and retain two rods with one rod-receiving body. In another embodiment, the assembly is configured to capture and retain a rod and a head portion of a pedicle screw in one rod-receiving body. In yet another embodiment, the assembly includes a lever that is actuated to fix a first rod-receiving body to a second rod-receiving body.

2008007, Mar 20, 2008

Sep 17, 2007

11/856469

David Hawkes - Pleasant Grove UT, US
Michael Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US

A61B 17/58, A61B 17/56

606061000, 606103000, 606073000

A system for stabilizing at least one spinal motion segment includes a fastener including an anchoring portion and a coupling portion, and a longitudinal support member coupled to the fastener, wherein a portion of the system is formed from a super-elastic material.

2008014, Jun 12, 2008

Dec 7, 2007

11/952709

Michael D. Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US
David T. Hawkes - Pleasant Grove UT, US

A61B 17/56

606 60

A tulip assembly configured to be coupled to a screw head having a first diameter includes a housing, wherein the housing defines an inner diameter configured to engage the first diameter of the screw head. The exemplary inner diameter of the housing being smaller than the first diameter of the screw head.

2006019, Aug 31, 2006

Jan 9, 2006

11/328498

Thomas Sweeney - Sarasota FL, US
David Hawkes - Pleasant Grove UT, US
Michael Ensign - Salt Lake City UT, US

Alphaspine Inc. - Sarasota FL

A61F 2/44

623017130, 623017110

The disclosure generally relates to a modular disc that is insertable by sections into a disc space located between vertebral bodies. The primary segments of the modular disc are one or more middle members engageable with first and second side members. The first and second side members are successively inserted into and positioned in the disc space one at a time. The middle member is then slidably engaged on rails extending from the respective first and second side members. Eventually, the middle member is moved along the guides and positioned between the respective first and second side members and the guides or rails are detached. Optionally, a cushioning and/or biasing member may be located between upper and lower portions of the side members and/or middle member.