Mechanical assembly including exterior surface preparation
OwnerKambiz Behzadiinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for improving mechanical assemblies, such as prosthetic implants, intended to be installed in living tissue such as bone. Force-imparting devices are adapted and may include angularity, which may be introduced with specialized additive manufacturing, which may impart congruent cross-sections while providing variable stiffness. In some cases, the variable stiffness may be “stretchy” in a longitudinal direction and “rigid” in a radial directional which may provide an assembly bias. Additive manufacturing may allow the material of a prosthesis to be varied (e.g., density/porosity) to create variable stiffness over a length.
Claims10
An implant for at least a partial insertion into a portion of a bone, the portion of bone having a bone variable material properties profile, comprising:
- a first portion configured for installation into the portion of bone, said first portion including a first reference location, a second reference location spaced apart from said first reference location, and a first portion variable material properties profile including said first reference locations with said first portion variable material properties profile different from and generally compatible with the bone variable material properties profile and with said first portion variable material properties profile between said reference locations including a monotonically changing stiffness when extending from said first reference location to said second reference location;
- a second portion, coupled to said first portion, configured to extend from the portion of bone when said first portion is installed in the portion of bone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.