1. A spinal implant, comprising:
an elongate member having a longitudinal axis and threads extending over at least a portion of the outer surface thereof, and
a stabilization feature associated with the elongate member that is selectively configurable between a delivery configuration and a deployed configuration in which the stabilization feature is oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member.
2. The implant of claim 1, wherein the stabilization feature is coupled to the elongate member by a joint that is configured to allow the stabilization feature to move between the delivery configuration and the deployed configuration.
3. The implant of claim 2, wherein the joint is selected from the group consisting of a pivot, a hinge, and a flexing-point.
4. The implant of claim 1, wherein the stabilization feature comprises an articulating member pivotably connected to a proximal portion of the elongate member.
5. The implant of claim 4, wherein the articulating member includes motion resisting plates extending over at least a portion of an exterior surface thereof and configured to provide frictional opposition to motion in the deployed configuration.
6. The implant of claim 1, wherein the stabilization feature comprises two distinct articulating members pivotably connected to a proximal portion of the elongate member and which are capable of rotating relative to one another in the deployed configuration.
7. The implant of claim 1, wherein the stabilization feature comprises at least one prong which is substantially recessed within the elongate member in the delivery configuration.
8. The implant of claim 7, further comprising an actuator effective to move the at least one prong to the deployed configuration in which the at least one prong extends from the elongate member at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member.
9. The implant of claim 8, wherein a lumen formed within the elongate member is configured to receive the actuator which is effective to move the at least one prong to the deployed configuration.
10. The implant of claim 1, wherein the stabilization feature is an expanding sleeve that is positioned over at least a portion of an outer surface of the elongate member, the sleeve having proximal and distal ends, and at least one hinged arm located between the proximal and distal ends.
11. The implant of claim 10, wherein an actuation member is mated to the implant proximal to the proximal end of the sleeve, and distal movement of the actuation member is effective to compress the sleeve and move the hinged arm to an expanded configuration.
12. The implant of claim 11, wherein the sleeve is not expanded in the delivery configuration and is expanded in the deployed configuration.
13. The implant of claim 11, wherein the actuation member is a nut threadably mated to the elongate member.
14. The implant of claim 1, wherein the implant includes a fusion-promoting bioactive material.
15. The implant of claim 14, wherein the fusion-promoting bioactive material is selected from the group consisting of cortical allograft bone and bioceramic-loaded bioabsorbable material.
16. A method for facet joint fixation and fusion, comprising:
surgically delivering at least one implant to a facet joint in an intrafacet orientation, the implant having at least one selectively deployable stabilization feature formed therein; and
deploying the stabilization feature such that it extends from the implant to engage a bony surface of the facet joint to oppose the natural motion of the facet joint.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein delivering the implant includes inserting a threaded distal tip of the implant into the facet joint so that it assumes a non-linear trajectory and follows a curvilinear pathway to embed in the bony surface of the facet joint.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein deploying the stabilization feature includes re-orienting a proximal portion of the implant relative to the embedded tip.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein deploying the stabilization feature includes bifurcating two distinct articulating portions of a proximal or distal portion of the implant, allowing them to rotate relative to one another.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein deploying the stabilization feature includes protracting at least one prong recessed within the implant so as to embed the at least one prong in the bony surface of the facet joint.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein protracting the at least one prong includes moving the at least one prong distally through the lumen so that it follows a predefined pathway to protrude through an opening in the implant.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein deploying the stabilization feature includes compressing an expandable sleeve distally, thereby causing a hinged arm of the sleeve to extend outwards from the implant to engage the bony surface of the facet joint.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein the surgically delivering step is performed in a minimally invasive procedure.
24. The method of claim 16, wherein deploying the stabilization feature includes inserting the implant in osteoporotic bone using a threaded fit so as to prevent retraction or pull-out of the implant.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A manufacturing apparatus configured to manufacture a head gimbal assembly that includes a head configured to record information in and to reproduce the information from a recording medium, a suspension configured to support the head, and a suspension substrate fixed onto the suspension and connected electrically to the head at one end, the suspension substrate having a terminal part at another end, said manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a work table used to bend the terminal part of the suspension substrate;
a suction unit configured to attract the head gimbal assembly;
a movement unit configured to move a long tail connected to the terminal part of the suspension substrate;
a stopper against which the long tail that has been moved by the movement unit is butted;
a transmission type optical sensor configured to detect that the long tail is positioned relative to the stopper by determining whether light that passes a groove provided in the work table is shielded by the long tail;
a tail holder configured to hold a part of the long tail on the work table;
a roller configured to compress the terminal part against the tail holder and to bend the terminal part relative to the long tail at a right angle; and
a controller configured to control, based on a detection result of the transmission type optical sensor, a movement of the tail holder to the work table and a movement of the roller to the tail holder.
2. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head gimbal assembly further includes a base plate configured to attach the suspension to an arm configured to drive the suspension,
wherein the manufacturing apparatus further comprises:
a fixture block provided near the work table; and
a pin provided to the fixture block and engaged with a boss hole in the base plate, and
wherein the suction unit has a first suction port around the pin and is configured to attract the base plate.
3. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the manufacturing apparatus further includes a pressure sensor configured to detect whether the base plate is mounted onto the first suction port, and
wherein the controller starts a bending operation when the pressure sensor detects that the base plate is mounted.
4. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement unit includes:
a probe pin configured to contact the long tail at a pressure set by a compression spring; and
an alignment block configured to move with the probe pin.
5. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the suction unit has a second suction port formed in the alignment block.
6. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the long tail crosses part of the second suction port when the second suction port attracts the long tail.
7. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement unit includes:
a projection configured to contact the long tail after the long tail is bent; and
an alignment block configured to move with the projection.
8. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is provided on the work table, and
wherein the suction unit has a third suction port formed in the work table near the stopper and the groove.
9. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a pressure sensor configured to detect whether the base plate is mounted onto the third suction port,
wherein the controller approaches the tail holder to the work table when the pressure sensor detects the base plate.
10. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the tail holder and the roller is made of nonmagnetic cemented carbide.
11. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a first cam mechanism configured to move the movement unit relative to the work table, the first cam mechanism including a first cam, a first drive shaft connected to the first cam, and a first guide engaged with the first cam and configured to change a position of the first cam;
a second cam mechanism configured to move the tail holder relative to the work table, the second cam mechanism including a second cam, a second drive shaft connected to the second cam, and a second guide engaged with the second cam and configured to change a position of the second cam;
a third cam mechanism configured to move the roller relative to the work table, the third cam mechanism including a third cam, a third drive shaft connected to the third cam, and a third guide engaged with the third cam and configured to change a position of the third cam;
a direct acting motor; and
a drive plate driven by the direct acting motor in one direction,
wherein the first guide, the second guide, and the third guide are mounted onto the drive plate, and simultaneously moved in the same direction by the direct acting motor.
12. The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller stops driving the roller for a predetermined time period while the roller is being pressed against the tail holder.
13. A manufacturing method configured to manufacture a head gimbal assembly that includes a head configured to record information in and to reproduce the information from a recording medium, a suspension configured to support the head, and a suspension substrate fixed onto the suspension and connected electrically to the head at one end, the suspension substrate having a terminal part at another end, said manufacturing method comprising:
attracting the head gimbal assembly through a suction unit;
moving a long tail connected to the terminal part of the suspension substrate through a movement unit;
butting the long tail that has been moved by the movement unit against a stopper;
detecting, through a transmission type optical sensor, that the long tail is positioned relative to the stopper by determining whether light that passes a groove provided in a work table is shielded by the long tail;
holding a part of the long tail on a tail holder on the work table;
compressing the terminal part against the tail holder and bending the terminal part relative to the long tail at a right angle on the work table by a roller; and
controlling, based on a detection result of the transmission type optical sensor, a movement of the tail holder to the work table and a movement of the roller to the tail holder.