Laser-produced implants

• US 8,350,186 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Liverpool
• Original Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Jones, Eric, Sutcliffe, Christopher J., Wang, Aiguo, Lawrynowicz, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELVE, MARIA ALEXANDRA
• Application Number:
  US11/648,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20080004709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,202 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.66, 219/121.65, 219/121.85, 623/20.14, 623/20.17
• US Class Current: 219/121.66
• 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 2/30942 for designing or making customized prostheses, e.g. using templates, CT or NMR scans, finite-element analysis or CAD-CAM techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/32 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3859 Femoral components
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/40 for shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30878 with non-sharp protrusions, for instance contacting the bone for anchoring, e.g. keels, pegs, pins, posts, shanks, stems, struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3092 having an open-celled or open-pored structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30968 Sintering
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3097 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30971 Laminates, i.e. layered products
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30985 using three dimensional printing [3DP]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00029 Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/32 of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/36 of energy beam parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/366 Scanning parameters, e.g. hatch distance or scanning strategy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/38 to achieve specific product aspects, e.g. surface smoothness, density, porosity or hollow structures
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/62 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/66 : by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/49 : Scanners
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/10 : of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 : Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 : Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

A method of producing an orthopedic implant including the steps of building a flat open model of at least a portion of an implant. The flat open model may be built using a selective laser sinter process. The flat open model preferably includes at least one groove along either a first surface or a second surface of the model. Next a force may be applied to the flat open model at predetermined locations to thereby cause the model to bend and assume a shape similar to a desired result. The now bent model may be resurfaced by either applying additional material such that the bent flat open model assumes the shape of a desired implant or the bent open model may be snap fit to an additional element.

Claims

1. A method of producing an orthopedic implant comprising the steps of:

providing a flat open model having opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the flat open model has opposing first and second surfaces and at least one groove along the first surface;

depositing at least a layer of powder on the first surface of the flat open model;

building on at least a portion of the first surface of the flat open model using a high energy beam;

applying a force to the flat open model at predetermined locations to thereby cause the flat open model to bend and assume a shape similar to a portion of an implant; and

resurfacing the second surface of the bent flat open model by applying additional material such that the bent flat open model assumes the shape of a desired implant.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the implant is a portion of a femoral implant.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first surface is an internal surface of a final product.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one groove includes at least four positioned along the internal surface of the flat open model, wherein during the step of applying a force to the flat open model the force is applied in a direction from the second surface to the first surface such that as the flat open model bends it bends about the at least four grooves to form a U-like structure.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein during the step of applying a force a mandrel is placed against the first surface of the flat open model.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein prior to applying a force to the flat open model at least one porous pad is positioned between adjacent grooves on the first surface of the flat open model.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one porous pad is integrally formed with the flat open model.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one porous pad is a separate element mechanically secured to the flat open model.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein prior to securing the at least one porous pad to the flat open model, the pad is cooled to thereby cause the pad to shrink in size, the pad is then placed between holding mechanisms disposed on the first surface of the open flat model, as the pad increases in temperature the pad increases in size causing the pad to become locked between the holding mechanisms.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the energy beam is a laser beam.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the energy beam is an e-beam.