Carbon based prosthetic devices

• US 5,981,827 A
• Filed: 11/12/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CALIFORNIA LOS ALAMOS NATIOANL LABORATORY, REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Carroll, David W., Barbero, Robert S., Devlin, David J., Cowie, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US08/967,736
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 623/16, 623/18
• US Class Current: 623/23.51
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30965 Reinforcing the prosthesis by embedding particles or fibres during moulding or dipping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3609 Femoral heads or necks; Connections of endoprosthetic heads or necks to endoprosthetic femoral shafts A61F2/3601 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30009 differing in fibre orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30011 differing in porosity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30449 the adhesive being cement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3611 Heads or epiphyseal parts of femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3625 Necks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/365 Connections of heads to necks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0023 differing in porosity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0028 differing in fibre orientations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00161 Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/0058 Coating made of diamond or of diamond-like carbon DLC
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/422 of carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/022 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/386 Carbon carbon nanotubes C04B14/026
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00405 Materials with a gradually increasing or decreasing concentration of ingredients or property from one layer to another
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00836 : for medical or dental applications
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 30/02 : containing fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/83 : Carbon fibres in a carbon matrix
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0054 : the pores being microsized or nanosized
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/007 : characterised by the pore distribution, e.g. inhomogeneous distribution of pores
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/009 : characterised by the material treated
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/4505 : characterised by the method of application
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/5002 : Diamond
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 41/85 : with inorganic materials

Abstract

A composite article is disclosed including a porous structural member formed of carbon fiber, the porous structural member containing a multiplicity of pores of dimensions greater than about 200 microns in diameter, the porous structural member further including carbon fill material within a portion of the pores such that the pores are essentially less than about 200 microns in diameter, the porous structural member including carbon fill material defining a composite carbon/carbon intermediate article including an outer surface and a thin coating of diamond-like carbon upon the outer surface of the composite carbon/carbon intermediate article. The composite article may serve as a prosthetic device for replacement joints, bone structures and the like.

Claims

1. A composite article comprising:

a porous structural member formed of carbon fiber, said porous structural member containing a multiplicity of pores of dimensions greater than about 200 microns in diameter, said porous structural member further including carbon fill material within a portion of said pores such that the pores are essentially less than about 200 microns in diameter, said carbon fill material-containing porous structural member defining a composite carbon/carbon intermediate article which includes an outer surface; and

,

a thin coating of diamond like carbon upon said outer surface of said composite carbon/carbon intermediate article, said composite article characterized as having a density gradient with a greatest density near the center of said composite article and a lower density near the surface of said composite article.

2. A composite article comprising:

a porous structural member formed of carbon fiber, said porous structural member containing a multiplicity of pores of dimensions greater than about 200 microns in diameter, said porous structural member further including carbon fill material within a portion of said pores such that the pores are essentially less than about 200 microns in diameter, said carbon fill material-containing porous structural member defining a composite carbon/carbon intermediate article which includes an outer surface; and

,

a thin coating of diamond like carbon upon said outer surface of said composite carbon/carbon intermediate article, said composite article characterized as having a gradient density with a greatest density at one end of said composite article and a decreasing density towards the other end of said composite article.

3. A composite article comprising:

a head portion; and

,

a stem portion including a unidirectional carbon fiber core surrounded by a braided carbon fiber sleeve including carbon fibers aligned at an angle from said unidirectional carbon fiber core so as to define a porous structural member containing a multiplicity of pores of preselected dimensions, said stem portion further including carbon fill material within a portion of said pores, said head portion attached to said stem portion at an end of said stem portion.

4. The composite article of claim 3 wherein a thin coating of diamond-like carbon is disposed upon outer surfaces of said composite article.