Porous articles and methods for producing same

• US 5,455,100 A
• Filed: 10/08/1993
• Issued: 10/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interpore International Inc. (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Eugene W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watkins, III, William P.
• Application Number:
  US08/134,260
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 428/131, 428/134, 428/220, 428/213, 428/338, 428/304.4, 428/314.2, 428/315.5, 428/319.3, 428/166, 428/178, 428/137, 623/1, 623/8, 623/11, 623/16
• US Class Current: 428/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0077 Special surfaces of prostheses, e.g. for improving ingrowth A61F2/30767 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/105 Skin implants, e.g. artificial skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/28 Bones joints A61F2/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30771 applied in original prostheses, e.g. holes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30153 rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30224 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30261 parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30263 cubical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30298 Parallelepipedal body made by spirally rolling up a sheet or a strip around itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30303 polypod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30599 stackable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30785 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/308 oblong
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30808 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30838 Microstructures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30892 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30896 perpendicular with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3092 : having an open-celled or open-pored structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30929 : having at least two superposed coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30957 : using a positive or a negative model, e.g. moulds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30968 : Sintering
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30978 : using electrical discharge machining [EDM]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0019 : rectangular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0063 : Three-dimensional shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 : cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0082 : parallelepipedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0084 : cubical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 : helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0063 : Nested prosthetic parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 : containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00365 : Proteins; Polypeptides; Degradation products thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00383 : Gelatin
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 : Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 39/148 : characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 28/00 : Producing nets or the like, e.g. meshes, latticesby knotting D04G
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/737 : Articles provided with holes, e.g. grids, sieves nets B29L2028/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/70 : characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24273 : including aperture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24298 : Noncircular aperture [e.g., slit, diamond, rectangular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24322 : Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 : including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24562 : Interlaminar spaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24661 : Forming, or cooperating to form cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 : Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 : Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249975 : Void shape specified [e.g., crushed, flat, round, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249978 : Voids specified as micro
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249991 : Synthetic resin or natural rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/268 : Monolayer with structurally defined element

Abstract

A porous article comprising a three-dimensional network of interconnecting pores and a void volume between twenty and eighty percent. The porous article is manufactured using a specifically delineated mesh structure wherein the pore size, void volume and material properties are tightly controlled and easily varied. The resulting material is advantageously applied to several bio-medical applications, including reconstructive surgery and arterial replacement.

Claims

1. A non-woven porous material having a void volume percent between twenty and eighty, comprising a network of repeating interconnected blocks wherein each block has at least six protrusions extending out therefrom, and wherein said protrusions are grouped in co-planer opposing pairs aligned along each of the three orthogonal planes intersecting in the block, and further form connective arms between adjacent blocks so that substantially all of said blocks are each connected to six adjacent blocks within the body of said material thereby forming a uniform matrix of passageways aligned with said connective arms, and wherein said matrix of passageways includes saddle-shaped curved surfaces and said passageways have an effective diameter between 25 to 1000 μ

m.

2. The non-woven porous material of claim 1, wherein an interface of said void volume represents a mathematically minimal surface.

3. The non-woven porous material of claim 1, wherein the material is formed of silicone rubber.

4. A non-woven implantable prosthetic porous material having a void volume percent between twenty and eighty, comprising a network of repeating interconnected blocks wherein each block has at least six protrusions extending out therefrom, and wherein said protrusions are grouped in co-planer opposing pairs aligned along each of the three orthogonal planes intersecting in the block, and further form connective arms between adjacent blocks so that substantially all of said blocks are each connected to six adjacent blocks within the body of said material thereby forming a uniform matrix of passageways aligned with said connective arms, and wherein said passageways have an effective diameter between 25 to 1000 μ

m.

5. The non-woven porous material of claim 4, wherein said block is a cube.

6. The non-woven porous material of claim 4, wherein an interface of said void volume represents a mathematically minimal surface.

7. The non-woven porous material of claim 4, wherein the material is formed of silicone rubber.