Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
Alloplastic material for making at least one of an artificial soft tissue component and a reinforcement for a natural soft tissue component in a human or animal body, wherein the material comprises fibers of a thickness less than 20 micrometers, the fibers contain an alloy having a phase structure of one of alpha-beta type and beta type and said fibers arranged in a regular pattern.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
Alloplastic material for making at least one of an artificial soft tissue component and a reinforcement for a natural soft tissue component in a human or animal body, wherein the material comprises fibers of a thickness less than 20 micrometers, the fibers contain an alloy having a phase structure of one of alpha-beta type and beta type and said fibers arranged in a regular pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
Material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alloy comprises titanium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
Material as claimed in claim 1, wherein titanium is the metallic component of largest percentage by weight in the alloy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
Material as claimed in claim 1, wherein titanium represents at least 50% by weight of the alloy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
Material as claimed in claim 4, wherein the alloy also contains at least one of the metals niobium, tantalum, zirconium, chromium, molybdenum, iron and aluminum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
Material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibers are arranged to form at least one bundle having at least 100 fibers, the fibers of a bundle being loosely held together, with clearance spaces therebetween to enable natural body tissue to grow into the alloplastic material implanted into a human or animal body, in the clearance spaces between adjacent fibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
Material as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fibers are coated at least in part with a substance which when implanted into a human or animal body is absorbed by the respective body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
Material as claimed in claim 7, wherein the coating substance is collagen, polyglactin, polylactate or gelatine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
Material as claimed in claim 6, the bundle comprises at least 200 fibers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
Material as claimed in claim 6 wherein the bundle comprises at least 1000 fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
Material as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bundle is zigzag-shaped.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
Material as claimed in claim 6, comprising at least two or more bundles loosely connected with each other.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Material as claimed in claim 6, comprising at least two bundles disposed adjacent to each other and fastened at ends thereof to common members, and being free between the ends thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
Material as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fibers belong to a bundle with a longitudinal axis and are arranged to run parallel to the longitudinal axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
Material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibers have a relaxed state and are arranged to enable the material, starting out from the relaxes state, to be stretched in at least one direction by at least 5% of the running direction of the fibers during such stretching being subject to change.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
Material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibers have a relaxed state and are arranged to enable the material, starting out from the relaxes state, to be stretched in at least one direction by at least 10% of the running direction of the fibers during such stretching being subject to change.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
11 words
Material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibers are cold-formed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
Material as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fibers are heat-treated after being cold-formed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
Material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibers are not greater than 15 micrometers thick.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
79 words
Alloplastic material for making at least one of an artificial soft tissue component and a reinforcement for a soft tissue component in a human or animal body, wherein the material comprises at least one bundle comprising at least 100 fibers comprising an alloy, each fiber having a thickness less than 20 micrometers thick, said fibers in said bundle being loosely held together to enable natural body tissue to grow into the alloplastic material in clearance spaces between adjacent fibers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
79 words
Alloplastic material for making at least one of an artificial soft tissue component and a reinforcement for a soft tissue component in a human or animal body, wherein the material comprises at least one bundle comprising at least 100 fibers comprising an alloy, each fiber having a thickness less than 20 micrometers thick, said fibers in said bundle being loosely held together to enable natural body tissue to grow into the alloplastic material in clearance spaces between adjacent fibers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
Material as claimed in claim 20, wherein said bundle comprises at least 200 fibers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
Material as claimed in claim 20, wherein the bundle comprises at least 1,000 fibers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
Material as claimed in claim 20, wherein at least two said bundles are loosely connected with one another.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
Material as claimed in claim 20, wherein said alloy having a phase structure of one of alpha-beta type and beta type.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
Material as claimed in claim 24, wherein titanium is a metallic component having the largest percentage by weight in the alloy.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
Material as claimed in claim 25, wherein said titanium comprises at least 50% by weight of the alloy.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
Material as claimed in claim 26, wherein the alloy of the fibers contains at least one of the group of metals comprising niobium, tantalum, zirconium, chromium, molybdenum, iron and aluminum.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
101 words
Alloplastic material for making at least one of an artificial soft tissue component and a reinforcement for a soft tissue component in a human or animal body, wherein the material comprises at least one bundle having at least 100 fibers, each said fiber being less than 20 micrometers thick and comprising an alloy having a phase structure of the beta type, said alloy comprises titanium as a metallic component of the greatest percentage by weight, said fibers in said bundle being loosely held together for enabling natural body tissue to grow into clearance spaces between adjacent fibers in the alloplastic material.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
101 words
Alloplastic material for making at least one of an artificial soft tissue component and a reinforcement for a soft tissue component in a human or animal body, wherein the material comprises at least one bundle having at least 100 fibers, each said fiber being less than 20 micrometers thick and comprising an alloy having a phase structure of the beta type, said alloy comprises titanium as a metallic component of the greatest percentage by weight, said fibers in said bundle being loosely held together for enabling natural body tissue to grow into clearance spaces between adjacent fibers in the alloplastic material.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
11 words
Material as claimed in claim 28, wherein the alloy includes niobium.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
11 words
Material as claimed in claim 28, wherein said fibers are cold-formed.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
Material as claimed in claim 28, wherein at least two said bundles are loosely connected.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
Material as claimed in claim 28, wherein several bundles are plaited into a planar single-layer strap.