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.
70 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