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US 11,351,031 B2Granted
Applications of diffusion hardening techniques
AssigneeSmith & Nephew, Inc.
InventorsTimothy John Band, Hamish Forster, Gordon Bruce Hunter, Shilesh C. Jani, Mark Lee Morrison, Vivek Devidas Pawar, Abraham Biglari Salehi, Jeffrey Joel Shea
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device, for example a medical implant, and a method of making the same, the device having a metal or metal alloy substrate, for example cobalt chrome, and a diffusion hardened metallic surface, for example a plasma carburized surface, contacting a non-diffusion hardened surface or a diffusion hardened surface having a diffusion hardening species different from that of the opposing surface.
Claims21
A device, comprising:
- a first portion, said first portion having a first contacting surface;
- a second portion, said second portion having a second contacting surface;
- wherein the first portion and the second portion are comprised of metal or metal alloy, and a deposited ceramic coating on one or both of said first and second contacting surfaces, wherein the first and second contacting surfaces contact one another;
- and
- wherein one of conditions (a) and (b) is met:
- (a) one of said first and second contacting surfaces comprises a diffusion hardened metallic surface which is diffusion hardened with a diffusion hardening species and the other of said first and second contacting surfaces is a metallic surface that is not diffusion hardened;
- (b) both of said first and second contacting surfaces comprise a diffusion hardened metallic surface wherein said first contacting surface is diffusion hardened with at least a first diffusion hardening species and said second contacting surface is diffusion hardened with at least a second diffusion hardening species and wherein said first diffusion hardening species is different from said second diffusion hardening species;
- wherein said diffusion hardening species is selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, boron, and any combination thereof.
5 more elements
A device, comprising:
- a first portion, said first portion having a first contacting surface;
- a second portion, said second portion having a second contacting surface;
- wherein the first portion and the second portion are comprised of metal or metal alloy, and wherein the first and second contacting surfaces articulate against one another;
- and
- wherein one of conditions (a) and (b) is met:
- (a) one of said first and second contacting surfaces comprises a diffusion hardened metallic surface which is diffusion hardened with a diffusion hardening species and the other of said first and second contacting surfaces is a metallic surface that is not diffusion hardened;
- (b) both of said first and second contacting surfaces comprise a diffusion hardened metallic surface wherein said first contacting surface is diffusion hardened with at least a first diffusion hardening species and said second contacting surface is diffusion hardened with at least a second diffusion hardening species and wherein said first diffusion hardening species is different from said second diffusion hardening species;
- wherein said diffusion hardening species is selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, boron, and any combination thereof;
- and
- wherein said first portion and said second portion are formed of different materials.
7 more elements
A device, comprising:
- a first portion, said first portion having a first contacting surface;
- a second portion, said second portion having a second contacting surface;
- wherein one of said first and second portions comprises an acetabular cup, and wherein the other of said first and second portions comprises a femoral component;
- wherein the first portion and the second portion are comprised of metal or metal alloy, and wherein the first and second contacting surfaces contact one another;
- and
- wherein one of conditions (a) and (b) is met:
- (a) one of said first and second contacting surfaces comprises a diffusion hardened metallic surface which is diffusion hardened with a diffusion hardening species and the other of said first and second contacting surfaces is a metallic surface that is not diffusion hardened;
- (b) both of said first and second contacting surfaces comprise a diffusion hardened metallic surface wherein said first contacting surface is diffusion hardened with at least a first diffusion hardening species and said second contacting surface is diffusion hardened with at least a second diffusion hardening species and wherein said first diffusion hardening species is different from said second diffusion hardening species;
- and
- wherein said diffusion hardening species is selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, boron, and any combination thereof.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.