Diffusion-hardened medical implant
First Claim
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1. A medical implant comprising:
- (a) a first implant portion, said first implant portion having a bearing surface;
(b) a second implant portion, said second implant portion having a bearing surface;
(c) wherein the bearing surface of said first implant portion and the bearing surface of said second implant portion each having a size and shape to engage or cooperate with one another;
(d) wherein one or both of the two portions of the medical implant comprises a biocompatible alloy having an elastic modulus less than 200 GPa;
(e) wherein the difference in radius of the mating portions is greater than about 50 microns; and
(f) wherein one or both of said first implant portion and said second implant portion consists of;
a substrate; and
a diffusion hardened zone in contact with said substrate, said diffusion hardened zone comprising a diffusion hardening species, said diffusion hardened zone having a thickness of 5 microns or greater.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a new composition and medical implant made therefrom, the composition comprising a thick diffusion hardened zone, and preferably further comprising a ceramic layer. The present invention relates to orthopedic implants comprising the new composition, methods of making the new composition, and methods of making orthopedic implants comprising the new composition.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A medical implant comprising:
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(a) a first implant portion, said first implant portion having a bearing surface; (b) a second implant portion, said second implant portion having a bearing surface; (c) wherein the bearing surface of said first implant portion and the bearing surface of said second implant portion each having a size and shape to engage or cooperate with one another; (d) wherein one or both of the two portions of the medical implant comprises a biocompatible alloy having an elastic modulus less than 200 GPa; (e) wherein the difference in radius of the mating portions is greater than about 50 microns; and (f) wherein one or both of said first implant portion and said second implant portion consists of; a substrate; and a diffusion hardened zone in contact with said substrate, said diffusion hardened zone comprising a diffusion hardening species, said diffusion hardened zone having a thickness of 5 microns or greater. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A medical implant comprising:
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(a) a first implant portion, said first implant portion having a bearing surface; (b) a second implant portion, said second implant portion having a bearing surface; (c) wherein the bearing surface of said first implant portion and the bearing surface of said second implant portion each having a size and shape to engage or cooperate with one another; (d) wherein one or both of the two portions of the medical implant comprises a biocompatible alloy having an elastic modulus less than 200 GPa; (e) wherein the difference in radius of the mating portions is greater than about 50 microns; and (f) wherein one or both of said first implant portion and said second implant portion comprises; a substrate; a diffusion hardened zone in contact with said substrate, said diffusion hardened zone comprising a diffusion hardening species, a substantially defect-free ceramic layer in contact with said diffusion hardened zone and comprising a surface of said medical implant; and a metallic hardened layer in contact with the top of the ceramic layer; wherein the thickness of the diffusion hardened zone is at least equal to that of the ceramic layer. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A medical implant comprising:
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a substrate comprising a biocompatible alloy having an elastic modulus less than 98 GPa; a diffusion hardened zone in contact with said substrate, said diffusion hardened zone comprising a diffusion hardening species, and a substantially defect-free ceramic layer in contact with said diffusion hardened zone and comprising a surface of said medical implant; wherein the diffusion hardened zone has a layered structure comprising at least two distinct layers under metallographic analysis, the layered structure characterized by; a first layer directly below the ceramic layer; an interface between the first layer and the ceramic layer; and a second layer directly below the first layer; and wherein the thickness of the diffusion hardened zone is at least equal to that of the ceramic layer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A medical implant comprising:
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a substrate comprising a biocompatible alloy having an elastic modulus less than 98 GPa; a diffusion hardened zone in contact with said substrate, said diffusion hardened zone comprising a diffusion hardening species and having a thickness of greater than 2 microns; and a ceramic layer in contact with said diffusion hardened zone; wherein the thickness of the diffusion hardened zone is at least equal to or greater than that of the ceramic layer. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A medical implant comprising:
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a substrate comprising a biocompatible alloy; a diffusion hardened zone in contact with said substrate, said diffusion hardened zone comprising a diffusion hardening species, wherein the diffusion hardened zone has a layered structure comprising at least two distinct layers under metallographic analysis. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification