Relating to joints and/or implants
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A joint part comprising a porous portion, the porous portion having:
- a multiplicity of solid regions where material is present, locations of at least most of the multiplicity of solid regions being defined by one or more mathematical functions; and
a remaining multiplicity of pore regions where material is absent,wherein the one or more mathematical functions define the solid region locations so that the locations of the remaining multiplicity of pore regions are nonrandom, andwherein the one or more mathematical functions include at least one term that defines a porosity gradient such that porosity of at least part of the porous portion changes continuously and without any discontinuity.
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Abstract
A joint part (1) has a porous portion (2) that is defined by a multiplicity of solid regions where material is present and a remaining multiplicity of pore regions where material is absent, the locations of at least most of the multiplicity of solid regions being defined by one or more mathematical functions. The nature of the porous portion can be varied systematically by changing one or more constants in the mathematical functions and the part is made by a process of solid freeform fabrication.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A joint part comprising a porous portion, the porous portion having:
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a multiplicity of solid regions where material is present, locations of at least most of the multiplicity of solid regions being defined by one or more mathematical functions; and a remaining multiplicity of pore regions where material is absent, wherein the one or more mathematical functions define the solid region locations so that the locations of the remaining multiplicity of pore regions are nonrandom, and wherein the one or more mathematical functions include at least one term that defines a porosity gradient such that porosity of at least part of the porous portion changes continuously and without any discontinuity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A load-bearing implant comprising a porous portion, the porous portion having:
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a multiplicity of solid regions where material is present, locations of at least most of the multiplicity of solid regions being defined by one or more mathematical functions; and a remaining multiplicity of pore regions where material is absent, wherein the one or more mathematical functions define the solid region locations so that the locations of the remaining multiplicity of pore regions are nonrandom, and wherein the one or more mathematical functions include at least one term that defines a porosity gradient such that porosity of at least part of the porous portion changes continuously and without any discontinuity. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification