Laser based metal deposition (LBMD) of implant structures

• US 7,632,575 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Titanium Fusion Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: IMDS Corporation
• Inventors: Justin, Daniel F., Stucker, Brent E.
• Primary Examiner(s): McNeil; Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Savage; Jason L
• Application Number:
  US11/253,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20060073356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 428/615
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0018 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0012 characterised by the material or composition, e.g. ceramics, surface layer, metal alloy use of specific materials A61K6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/36 Femoral heads ; Femoral endoprostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3859 Femoral components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4225 for feet, e.g. toes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4241 for hands, e.g. fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30535 Special structural features of bone or joint prostheses not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0058 Additional features; Implant or prostheses properties not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/04 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/306 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/303 - A61L27/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/14 Titanium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 24/10 with intermediate formation of a liquid phase in the layer
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 26/00 Coating not provided for in groups C23C2/00 - C23C24/00
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 26/02 applying molten material to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/021 including at least one metal alloy layer
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/023 only coatings of metal elements only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/028 Including graded layers in composition or in physical properties, e.g. density, porosity, grain size
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/02 Pretreatment of the material to be coated, e.g. for coating on selected surface areas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/12 : characterised by the method of spraying
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/18 : After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12458 : having composition, density, or hardness gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12493 : Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, joint, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12806 : Refractory [Group IVB, VB, or VIB] metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12812 : Diverse refractory group metal-base components: alternative to or next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12826 : Group VIB metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12847 : Cr-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12931 : Co-, Fe-, or Ni-base components, alternative to each other

Abstract

A method of depositing a hard wear resistant surface onto a porous or non-porous base material of a medical implant. The medical implant device formed by a Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) method. The porous material of the base promotes bone ingrowth allowing the implant to fuse strongly with the bone of a host patient. The hard wear resistant surface provides device longevity when applied to bearing surfaces such as artificial joint bearing surface or a dental implant bearing surface.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a medical implant comprising;

a metal base structure; and

a bearing material formed onto said metal base structure by Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) in an inert gas atmosphere to provide a small bonding zone at which material is deposited and rapidly cooled to form an articulating bearing surface;

wherein the bearing material comprises a biocompatible composition and has a hardness greater than a hardness of the metal base structure;

wherein the bearing material comprises a thickness ranging from about 0.01 inches to about 0.2 inches.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said metal base structure comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

Cobalt-Chrome, Tantalum, Titanium, Platinum, stainless steel, and alloys thereof.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein said metal base structure comprises porous Tantalum.

4. A device as in claim 1, wherein said bearing material is coupled to a second medical implant.

5. A device as in claim 1, wherein the bearing material comprises Cobalt (Co) and Chromium (Cr).

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the bearing material is formed by Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS).

7. A device as in claim 1, wherein said thickness of said articulating bearing surface is about 1.5 mm.

8. A device as in claim 1, wherein said base metal structure is formed independently of any LBMD process.

9. A device as in claim 1, wherein said bearing material comprises a non-composite material deposited substantially entirely by LBMD.

17. A device as in claim 1, wherein said metal base structure comprises a primary component, and wherein said composition of said bearing material excludes said primary component.

10. A device comprising:

a medical implant comprising;

a base; and

a bearing material formed onto said base by Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) in an inert gas atmosphere to provide a small bonding zone at which material is deposited and rapidly cooled to form an articulating bearing surface, thereby forming a medical implant device implantable into a body of a patient;

wherein the bearing material has a hardness greater than a hardness of the base;

wherein the bearing material comprises a thickness ranging from about 0.01 inches to about 0.2 inches.

11. A device as in claim 10, wherein said base comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

Cobalt-Chrome, Tantalum, Titanium, Platinum, stainless steel, and alloys thereof.

12. A device as in claim 11, wherein said base comprises porous Tantalum.

13. A device as in claim 10, wherein said bearing material is coupled to a second medical implant.

14. A device as in claim 10, wherein the bearing material comprises Cobalt (Co) and Chromium (Cr).

15. A device as in claim 10, wherein the bearing material is adapted to be deposited by heating the bearing material with a high power Nd YAG laser.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the base is shaped to be secured to a body part of a patient.

18. A device as in claim 10, wherein said base comprises a primary component, and wherein a composition of said bearing material excludes said primary component.

19. A device as in claim 10, wherein said thickness of said articulating bearing surface is about 1.5 mm.

20. A device as in claim 10, wherein said base metal structure is formed independently of any LENS process.

21. A device as in claim 10, wherein said bearing material comprises a non-composite material deposited substantially entirely by LENS.

22. A method for constructing a medical implant device, the method comprising:

forming a medical implant structure from a base metal; and

forming an articulating surface on said medical implant structure using Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) in an inert gas atmosphere to provide a small bonding zone at which material is deposited and rapidly cooled, wherein the articulating surface comprises a biocompatible composition;

wherein the bearing material comprises a thickness ranging from about 0.01 inches to about 0.2 inches.

23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the medical implant structure comprises a base shaped to be secured to a body part of a patient.

24. A method as in claim 22, wherein said structure comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

cobalt-chrome, tantalum (Ta), titanium, stainless steel, and alloys thereof.

25. A method as in claim 24, wherein said structure comprises porous Tantalum.

26. A method as in claim 22, wherein said articulating surface comprises Cobalt (Co) and Chromium (Cr).

27. A method as in claim 22, wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises applying said articulating surface as a foil and heating said foil with a laser.

28. A method as in claim 22, wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises applying said articulating surface as a powder and heating said powder with a laser.

29. A method as in claim 22, wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises applying said articulating surface as a wire and heating said wire with a laser.

30. A method as in claim 22, wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises heating said articulating surface with a high power Nd YAG laser.

31. A method as in claim 22, wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises using Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS).

32. A method as in claim 22, wherein said structure comprises a primary component, and wherein said composition of said articulating surface excludes said primary component.

33. A method as in claim 22, wherein said thickness of said articulating surface is about 1.5 mm.

34. A method as in claim 22, wherein forming said structure comprises avoiding the use of any LBMD process.

35. A method as in claim 22, wherein forming said articulating surface comprises forming a non-composite material substantially entirely by LBMD.