Back to results
US 11,364,124 B2Granted
Build-plate with integrally-formed spinal implant constructs and corresponding method for manufacturing spinal implants
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorsJonathan Dewey, Scott Renner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A build-plate with integrally-formed spinal implant constructs and a method used in forming spinal implant constructs on the build plate and machining the spinal implant constructs formed on the build plate to manufacture spinal implants is provided. The spinal implant constructs can be formed via additive manufacturing processes by adding material to an upper surface of the build plate, and then the spinal implant constructs can be subjected to subtractive manufacturing processes to form the spinal implants.
Claims19
A method of forming a spinal implant construct on a build plate and manufacturing a spinal implant from the spinal implant construct, the method comprising:
- providing the build plate having an upper surface, a first orienting surface, and a second orienting surface;
- forming on the upper surface of the build plate the spinal implant construct via an additive manufacturing process by adding material to the upper surface of the build plate to form the spinal implant construct at or adjacent a first end and continuing to add the material toward a second end until the spinal implant construct is formed by the additive manufacturing process;
- orienting the build plate relative to a subtractive-manufacturing tool using the first orienting surface, and then via relative movement of the subtractive-manufacturing tool and the build plate, removing a first portion of the material from the spinal implant construct using the subtractive manufacturing tool;
- orienting the build plate relative to the subtractive-manufacturing tool using the second orienting surface, and then via relative movement of the subtractive-manufacturing tool and the build plate, removing a second portion of the material from the spinal implant construct using the subtractive manufacturing tool;
- forming a detachment area between the build-plate and the spinal implant construct via a subtractive manufacturing process, wherein the spinal implant is detached from the build plate at the detachment area, and the detachment area forms a leading surface of the spinal implant;
- and
- detaching the spinal implant from the upper surface of the build plate.
4 more elements
A method of forming two spinal implant constructs on a build plate and manufacturing two spinal implants from the two spinal implant constructs, the method comprising:
- providing the build plate having an upper surface, a first orienting surface, and a second orienting surface;
- forming on the upper surface of the build plate the two spinal implant constructs each having a first end and an opposite second end via an additive manufacturing process by adding material to the upper surface of the build plate at a first location to form a first one of the spinal implant constructs at or adjacent the first end of the first one of the spinal implant constructs and continuing to add the material toward the second end of the first one of the spinal implant constructs until the first one of the two spinal implant constructs is formed by the additive manufacturing process and by adding material to the upper surface of the build plate at a second location to form a second one of the spinal implant constructs at or adjacent the first end of the second one of the spinal implant constructs and continuing to add the material toward the second end of the second one of the spinal implant constructs until the second one of the two spinal implant constructs is formed by the additive manufacturing process;
- orienting the build plate relative to a subtractive-manufacturing tool using the first orienting surface, and then via relative movement of the subtractive-manufacturing tool and the build plate, removing a first portion of the material from each of the two spinal implant constructs using the subtractive-manufacturing tool;
- orienting the build plate relative to the subtractive-manufacturing tool using the second orienting surface, and then via relative movement of the subtractive-manufacturing tool and the build plate, removing a second portion of the material from each of the two spinal implant constructs using the subtractive-manufacturing tool;
- and
- detaching the spinal implants from the upper surface of the build plate.
3 more elements
A method of forming three spinal implant constructs on a build plate and manufacturing three spinal implants from the three spinal implant constructs, the method comprising:
- forming on an upper surface of a build plate the three spinal implant constructs each having a first end and an opposite second end via an additive manufacturing process by adding material to the upper surface of the build plate at a first location to form a nose portion of a first one of the spinal implant constructs at or adjacent the first end of the first one of the spinal implant constructs and continuing to add the material toward the second end of the first one of the spinal implant constructs to form a first surface and a second surface of the first one of the spinal implant constructs until the first one of the three spinal implant constructs is formed by the additive manufacturing process, by adding material to the upper surface of the build plate at a second location to form a nose portion of a second one of the spinal implant constructs at or adjacent the first end of the second one of the spinal implant constructs and continuing to add the material toward the second end of the second one of the spinal implant constructs to form a first surface and a second surface of the second one of the spinal implant constructs until the second one of the three spinal implant constructs is formed by the additive manufacturing process, and by adding material to the upper surface of the build plate at a third location to form a nose portion of a third one of the spinal implant constructs at or adjacent the first end of the third one of the spinal implant constructs and continuing to add the material toward the second end of the third one of the spinal implant constructs to form a first surface and a second surface of the third one of the spinal implant constructs until the third one of the three spinal implant constructs is formed by the additive manufacturing process;
- orienting the build plate relative to a subtractive-manufacturing tool using a first orienting surface of the build plate, and then via relative movement of the subtractive manufacturing tool and the build plate, removing a first portion of the material from each of the three spinal implant constructs;
- orienting the build plate relative to the subtractive-manufacturing tool using a second orienting surface of the build plate, and then via relative movement of the subtractive manufacturing tool and the build plate, removing a second portion of the material from each of the three spinal implant constructs;
- orienting the build plate relative to the subtractive-manufacturing tool using a third orienting surface of the build plate, and then via relative movement of the subtractive manufacturing tool and the build plate, removing a third portion of the material from each of the three spinal implant constructs;
- and
- detaching each of the spinal implants from the upper surface of the build plate.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.