Porous implant structures
First Claim
1. An orthopedic implant including a porous structure, the porous structure including a plurality of cells, each of the cells comprising:
- a plurality of struts, wherein two or more of the struts comprise;
a continuous elongated body having a thickness, a length, an axial centerline extending along the length, and a curved portion, wherein the curved portion is curved along at least a portion of the length, and wherein the axial centerline includes a curved segment extending along the curved portion;
a plurality of junctions, wherein at least one of the junctions comprises a tangential intersection between the curved portion of two of the struts, wherein each tangential intersection between the curved portions of two of the struts includes a tangential intersection between the curved portions of the axial centerlines of the two struts, and wherein said at least one of the junctions comprises a sintered connection;
a plurality of modified nodes, wherein at least one of the modified nodes comprises three or more of said junctions; and
a plurality of sides, wherein each of the sides is defined by at least one of the struts and includes a fenestration, the fenestrations having an average cross section in the range of 50 to 1000 microns;
wherein at least one of the sides is shared with another of the cells, and is defined at least in part by one of the struts of the at least one junction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Porous biocompatible structures suitable for use as medical implants and methods for fabricating such structures are disclosed. The disclosed structures may be fabricated using rapid manufacturing techniques. The disclosed porous structures has a plurality of struts and nodes where no more than two struts intersect one another to form a node. Further, the nodes can be straight, curved, portions that are curved and/or straight. The struts and nodes can form cells which can be fused or sintered to at least one other cell to form a continuous reticulated structure for improved strength while providing the porosity needed for tissue and cell in-growth.
103 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An orthopedic implant including a porous structure, the porous structure including a plurality of cells, each of the cells comprising:
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a plurality of struts, wherein two or more of the struts comprise; a continuous elongated body having a thickness, a length, an axial centerline extending along the length, and a curved portion, wherein the curved portion is curved along at least a portion of the length, and wherein the axial centerline includes a curved segment extending along the curved portion; a plurality of junctions, wherein at least one of the junctions comprises a tangential intersection between the curved portion of two of the struts, wherein each tangential intersection between the curved portions of two of the struts includes a tangential intersection between the curved portions of the axial centerlines of the two struts, and wherein said at least one of the junctions comprises a sintered connection; a plurality of modified nodes, wherein at least one of the modified nodes comprises three or more of said junctions; and a plurality of sides, wherein each of the sides is defined by at least one of the struts and includes a fenestration, the fenestrations having an average cross section in the range of 50 to 1000 microns; wherein at least one of the sides is shared with another of the cells, and is defined at least in part by one of the struts of the at least one junction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An orthopedic implant including a porous structure, the porous structure comprising:
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a plurality of cells, each of the cells comprising; a plurality of struts including a plurality of curved struts, wherein each of the struts has a length, and wherein each of the curved struts includes a curved portion which is curved along at least a portion of its length; a plurality of nodes including a plurality of tangential nodes, wherein each of the nodes comprises a sintered connection between at least two of the struts, and wherein each of the tangential nodes comprises a tangential intersection between the curved portions of two of the curved struts; at least one modified node, wherein each of the at least one modified nodes includes at least three of the tangential nodes; a plurality of faces, wherein each of the faces is defined by at least one of the struts and includes a fenestration; and a plurality of vertices, wherein each of the vertices defines an intersection of at least three of the faces, each of the vertices is defined by at least one of the nodes, and at least one of the vertices is defined by one of the modified nodes; wherein each face of at least one of the cells is shared with at least one other cell; and wherein each of the struts has an axial centerline extending along its length, and wherein each tangential intersection between the curved portions of two of the curved struts includes a tangential intersection between the axial centerlines of the two curved struts. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An orthopedic implant including a porous structure, the porous structure including a plurality of cells, each of the cells comprising:
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a plurality of struts, wherein two or more of the struts comprise; a first end; a second end; and a continuous elongated body between said first and second ends, said body having a thickness, a length, and a curved portion, wherein the curved portion is curved along at least a portion of the length; a plurality of junctions, wherein at least one of the junctions comprises a tangential intersection between the curved portion of two of the struts, and wherein said at least one of the junctions comprises a sintered connection; and a plurality of modified nodes, wherein at least one of the modified nodes comprises three or more of said junctions; and a plurality of sides, wherein each of the sides is defined by at least one of the struts and includes a fenestration, the fenestrations having an average cross section in the range of 50 to 1000 microns; wherein at least one of the sides is shared with another of the cells, and is defined at least in part by one of the struts of the at least one junction; and wherein each of the struts has an axial centerline extending along its length, and wherein each tangential intersection between the curved portions of two struts includes a tangential intersection between the axial centerlines of the two struts.
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Specification