US5498302A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Surface hardened biocompatible metallic medical implants
Assignee: Smith and Nephew Inc
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Filing: 1994-11-09
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Granted: 1996-03-12
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Expires: 2014-11-09
Abstract
Abstract This invention provides surface hardened, abrasion resistant high strength, biocompatible metal medical implants, in particular, titanium alloy implants which do not include any elements which have been shown or suggested as having short term or long term potential adverse effect from a standpoint of biocompatibility. Further, the invention provides methods of strengthening and hardening the surfaces of other titanium, zirconium, and cobalt-based alloy implants with small concentrations of a metal solute such as zirconium, yttrium, tantalum, aluminum, silicon, chromium, or thorium via internal oxidation or nitridation. Alternatively, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon can be diffused directly into the surface of the implants by interstitial hardening to further increase the surface abrasion resistance of these internally oxidized or internally nitridized implant metal or metal alloys.
Inventors
- 👤 James A. Davidson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L27/00; A61L27/28; A61L27/30; A61L27/306; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/30767; A61L27/02; A61L27/04; A61L27/045; A61L27/06; A61F2002/30922; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00011; A61F2310/00017; A61F2310/00023; A61F2310/00029; A61F2310/00035; A61F2310/00089; A61F2310/00389; A61F2310/00592; A61F2310/00598; A61F2310/00856
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A surface hardened metallic medical implant, the implant comprising: a surface hardened metallic alloy implant body with surface hardness greater than about 40 Rockwell C, the hardened surface produced by a process comprising: (i) selecting a metallic alloy containing less than about 2 wt. % of a metal solute different from and more readily nitridable than other elements of the metallic alloy implant body; (ii) hardening the surface of the implant body by internal nitridation of a substantial proportion of the more readily nitridable solute at the surface of the implant while maintaining a metallic luster on the surface of the implant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
A surface hardened metallic medical implant, the implant comprising: a surface hardened metallic alloy implant body with surface hardness greater than about 40 Rockwell C, the hardened surface produced by a process comprising: (i) selecting a metallic alloy containing less than about 2 wt. % of a metal solute different from and more readily nitridable than other elements of the metallic alloy implant body; (ii) hardening the surface of the implant body by internal nitridation of a substantial proportion of the more readily nitridable solute at the surface of the implant while maintaining a metallic luster on the surface of the implant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The surface hardened metallic medical implant of claim 1, wherein said implant body comprises about 85 wt. % titanium and about 15 wt. % niobium; and the metal solute is selected from the group consisting of silicon, tantalum, and thorium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The surface hardened metallic medical implant of claim 1, wherein the implant body comprises about 73 wt. % titanium, about 13 wt. % niobium, and about 13 wt. % zirconium; and the metal solute is selected from the group consisting of silicon and thorium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The surface hardened metallic medical implant of claim 1, wherein the implant body comprises Co-Cr-Mo alloy and the metal solute is selected from the group consisting of silicon, tantalum and thorium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The surface hardened metallic medical implant of claim 1, wherein the implant body comprises Ti-6A1-4V; and the metal solute is selected from the group consisting of silicon, tantalum, and thorium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The surface hardened metallic medical implant of claim 1, wherein the metallic implant body is further hardened by diffusion into the metallic alloy of an element selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-03-12 | 1999-09-11 | 2000-03-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-03-12 | 2003-09-11 | 2004-03-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-03-12 | 2007-09-11 | 2008-03-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |