Surface and near surface hardened medical implants
First Claim
1. A surface and near surface hardened implant of titanium alloys containing zirconium, comprising:
- (a) a zirconium-containing titanium alloy core;
(b) a layer, surrounding the core, of oxygen-rich alloy solution; and
(c) a surface layer, overlying the oxygen-rich alloy layer, of mixed oxides of metals present in the alloy core.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Surface and near surface hardened medical implants are provided. These implants are fabricated from titanium alloys that contain an amount of zirconium sufficient to permit the formation of a significant amount of zirconium oxide at the surface of the implant to cause surface hardening. Further, the zirconium-containing titanium alloy implants are characterized in having an alloy core with an oxygen-rich layer surrounding the core, and a surface layer, overlying the oxygen-rich layer, including mixed oxides of the metals present in the alloy. A zirconium-rich interface may sometimes be present between the oxygen-rich layer and the mixed-oxide surface layer. The method of producing these surface hardened implants includes the steps of heating the implant in an oxygen containing environment at a temperature sufficient to allow oxygen to diffuse to and react with the implant surface and near surface.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A surface and near surface hardened implant of titanium alloys containing zirconium, comprising:
-
(a) a zirconium-containing titanium alloy core; (b) a layer, surrounding the core, of oxygen-rich alloy solution; and (c) a surface layer, overlying the oxygen-rich alloy layer, of mixed oxides of metals present in the alloy core. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A surface hardened medical implant comprising a zirconium-containing titanium alloy, the surface hardened implant produced by a process comprising:
-
(a) subjecting zirconium-containing titanium implant substrate to an environment able to provide oxygen; (b) heating the zirconium-containing implant substrate to a temperature that allows oxygen to diffuse into surfaces of said implant; (c) soaking the zirconium-containing implant substrate at the temperature for a time sufficient to oxidize elemental metal at the surfaces of the implant substrate; and (d) producing a hardened medical implant comprising a hard mixed-oxide surface layer on the zirconium-containing implant substrate and an oxygen-rich layer beneath said mixed oxide surface layer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A medical implant comprising a zirconium-containing core and a hard mixed oxide surface on said core, the implant produced by a process comprising:
-
(a) subjecting an implant substrate comprising a zirconium-containing titanium alloy to an environment able to provide oxygen for oxidizing elemental metal at surfaces of the substrate; (b) heating the implant substrate in the environment to a temperature from about 200°
to about 1200°
C.;(c) soaking the implant substrate at a temperature that permits oxidizing of elemental metal at substrate surfaces and diffusion of oxygen beneath the substrate surfaces; and (d) producing a hard mixed-oxide surface layer on the zirconium-containing implant substrate and an oxygen-rich layer beneath said mixed oxide surface layer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
Specification