# US 11,078,566 B2 · Coatings for surgical instruments

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- Number: US 11,078,566 B2
- Document ID: US11078566B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/050,238
- Filed: 2018-07-31
- Published: 2018-11-22
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-30
- Assignees: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
- Applicants: Depuy Synthes Products, Inc.
- Inventors: Dayananda Sukadhare; Sean Selover
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078566B2

## CPC

- C23C 14/0641: {Nitrides (C23C14/0617 takes precedence)}
- A61L 2/232: layered or coated
- A61L 27/306: {Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/303 - A61L27/32}
- A61L 31/082: {Inorganic materials}
- C23C 14/0068: {characterised by means for confinement of gases or sputtered material, e.g. screens, baffles}
- C23C 14/0089: {in metallic mode}
- C23C 14/022: {by means of bombardment with energetic particles or radiation}
- C23C 14/083: {of refractory metals or yttrium}
- C23C 14/325: {Electric arc evaporation}
- C23C 14/5826: {Treatment with charged particles (C23C14/582 takes precedence)}
- A61L 2420/08: Coatings comprising two or more layers
- A61L 2430/38: for reconstruction of the spine, vertebrae or intervertebral discs
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)

## Abstract

A coated medical instrument can include a first layer bonded to a metal substrate surface of a medical instrument, a second layer bonded to the first layer, and a third layer disposed on the second layer, The first layer comprises chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), titanium (Ti), and/or niobium (Nb). The second layer comprises a nitride, oxide, carbide, carbonitride, or boride of chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), zirconium (Zr), and/or silicon (Si). The third layer comprises a nitride, oxide, carbide, boride, oxynitride, oxycarbide, or oxycarbonitride of chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), zirconium (Zr), and/or silicon (Si). Methods for making coated medical instruments are also disclosed herein.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a coated medical instrument comprising:
depositing a first layer on a metal substrate surface of a medical instrument by vapor deposition, the first layer comprising chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), titanium (Ti), and/or niobium (Nb);
depositing a second layer on the first layer by vapor deposition, the second layer bonded to the first layer, and the second layer comprising a nitride, oxide, carbide, carbonitride, or boride of chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), zirconium (Zr), and/or silicon (Si); and
depositing a third layer on the second layer by vapor deposition, the third layer comprising a nitride, oxide, carbide, boride, oxynitride, oxycarbide, or oxycarbonitride of chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), zirconium (Zr), and/or silicon (Si);
wherein the method further comprises a reactive plasma surface cleaning-conditioning process before depositing at least one of the first, second, and third layers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers is deposited by an arc process or a combination of an arc and sputter processes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers is deposited at a temperature of 180 to 1,000° F.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising external cleaning the metal substrate surface before depositing the first layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further depositing the second layer using an arc and sputter process, thereby depositing a gradient in the second layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing the first and second layers in a first vapor deposition chamber and depositing the third layer in a second vapor deposition chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the coated medical instrument is corrosion resistant.

### Claim 8

A method for manufacturing a coated medical instrument comprising:
depositing a first layer on a metal substrate surface of a medical instrument by vapor deposition, the first layer comprising chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), titanium (Ti), and/or niobium (Nb);
depositing a second layer on the first layer by vapor deposition, the second layer bonded to the first layer, and the second layer comprising a nitride, oxide, carbide, carbonitride, or boride of chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), zirconium (Zr), and/or silicon (Si); and
depositing a third layer on the second layer by vapor deposition, the third layer comprising a nitride, oxide, carbide, boride, oxynitride, oxycarbide, or oxycarbonitride of chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), zirconium (Zr), and/or silicon (Si);
wherein the method further comprises cleaning and conditioning a surface of the second layer using a plasma cleaning technique before depositing the third layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the layers is deposited by an arc process or a combination of an arc and sputter processes.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the layers is deposited at a temperature of 180 to 1,000° F.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising external cleaning the metal substrate surface before depositing the first layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further depositing the second layer using an arc and sputter process, thereby depositing a gradient in the second layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising depositing the first and second layers in a first vapor deposition chamber and depositing the third layer in a second vapor deposition chamber.