Elastic orthopedic implant and method of manufacturing thereof
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10820902-B2
Publication Date
2020-11-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
An orthopedic implant includes a bridge and at least a first leg extending from a first end of the bridge and a second leg extending from the second end of the bridge. The bridge includes a first upper section and a second lower section. The first upper section includes surfaces that are non-orthogonal and taper from a central surface to provide the first upper section with a non-uniform cross-section. The second lower section includes surfaces that are non-orthogonal and taper from a central surface to provide the second lower section with a non-uniform cross-section. The non-uniform cross-sections of the first upper section and the second lower section flatten the profile of the bridge, thereby producing an orthopedic implant with a smooth composite surface.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to an elastic orthopedic staple implant with a bridge having upper and lower sections that form a non-uniform cross-section. The upper and lower sections include non-orthogonal, tapered upper and lower sections that lower a bridge profile and protuberance while providing greater bridge bending strength.
The implant has converging legs with an insertion position and a converging position. The converging-leg natural shape is associated with deformation through leg and/or bridge angle changes to generate compression, and optional barbs are described for pull-out resistance.
Manufacturing is described as cutting an elastic billet, such as a nitinol billet, from two orthogonal directions using intersecting continuous non-linear paths to form the bridge perimeter and profile with tapering. The cutting concept uses non-linear upper bridge section paths and non-linear lower bridge section paths that intersect, including substantially elliptical arcs, to produce smooth composite surfaces and reduced patient lumping, compared with prior art uniform-thickness bridges.
Claims Coverage
The provided claims define one independent manufacturing method for an orthopedic implant using billet cutting along intersecting non-linear paths on orthogonal first and second surfaces, resulting in an upper bridge section, a lower bridge section, and legs formed by intersecting leg paths. The claim set adds dependent refinements that specify geometric constraints for the non-linear path shapes and resulting non-orthogonal or multi-surface features.
Intersecting non-linear upper bridge section paths on orthogonal billet surfaces to form a non-uniform bridge cross-section that flattens the profile
Provide a billet including at least a first surface orthogonal to a second surface, and cut from a first direction along a first non-linear upper bridge section path and from a second direction along a second non-linear upper bridge section path that intersects the first path, thereby forming an upper section of a bridge, where the upper section provides the bridge with a non-uniform cross-section that flattens the profile.
Intersecting non-linear lower bridge section paths to form a lower section of the bridge
Cut from the first direction along a first lower bridge section path and from the second direction along the second lower bridge section path that intersects the first lower bridge section path, thereby forming a lower section of the bridge of the orthopedic implant.
Intersecting leg paths on orthogonal billet surfaces to form legs
Cut from the first direction along a first leg path and from the second direction along the second leg path that intersects the first leg path, thereby forming legs of the orthopedic implant.
Substantially elliptical non-linear upper bridge section path constraint
Where the second non-linear upper bridge section path is substantially elliptical in shape.
Intersecting lower bridge section paths forming a central surface and tapered surfaces to flatten a non-uniform cross-section
Where cutting intersecting first and second lower bridge section paths forms a central surface plus first and second tapered surfaces/legs that create a non-uniform cross-section and flatten the implant profile.
Non-linear end portions on specified multiple surfaces from intersecting lower bridge section paths
Cutting intersecting first and second lower bridge section paths so as to create non-linear end portions on the first, second, third, and fourth surfaces.
Non-orthogonal first, second, third, and fourth surfaces from intersecting non-linear upper bridge section paths
Cutting intersecting first and second non-linear upper bridge section paths to create non-orthogonal first, second, third, and fourth surfaces.
Converging leg configuration formed by first and second leg paths
Where the first and second leg paths form legs positioned to converge.
Across the provided independent claim and stated dependent refinements, the core claimed inventive concept is manufacturing an orthopedic implant by cutting from two orthogonal billet surfaces along intersecting non-linear upper bridge section paths, intersecting non-linear lower bridge section paths, and intersecting leg paths, with further geometric constraints such as substantially elliptical upper path shapes, tapered non-uniform cross-section features, non-linear end portions across multiple surfaces, non-orthogonal surface relationships, and legs positioned to converge.
Stated Advantages
Lower bridge profile and protuberance while providing greater bridge bending strength.
Flatten the profile of the orthopedic implant through a non-uniform (changing) cross-section.
Reduced patient lumping via smooth composite surfaces.
Provide greater bridge bending strength compared with prior art uniform-thickness bridges.
Provide pull-out resistance using optional barbs.
Generate compression via deformation through deformation of bridge and/or leg angles.
Documented Applications
Elastic orthopedic staple implant use where converging legs and a bridge produce compression generation through deformation, with optional barbs for pull-out resistance.
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