Porous metal coating process and mold therefor
AssigneeDynamet, Inc.
InventorsAlfred L. Donlevy, Clifford M. Bugle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process and mold for applying a porous metal coating to a metal substrate or a portion thereof, especially for forming a medical prosthesis. The substrate to be coated is cleaned, then positioned in a rigid mold of ceramic or metal material having a defined mold cavity. The space between the mold cavity surface and the substrate is filled with a metal powder and the mold, powder and substrate assembly is pre-sintered. The pre-sinter conditions are selected such that the powder lightly sinters together and adheres to the substrate, but not to the mold cavity surface. After removal of the mold, the coated substrate is further sintered to obtain the proper desired bond strength and pore volume. Sintering is carried out in a protective atmosphere.
Claims21
A process for producing a porous metal coating on at least a portion of a reactive metal substrate utilizing a rigid mold comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a mold having a cavity of such a size as to receive therein that portion of the metal substrate to be coated with a space between the mold cavity and a surface of the substrate portion to be coated;
- (b) disposing the substrate portion to be coated in the mold cavity;
- (c) disposing reactive metal powder in the space between the mold cavity and the surface to form an assembly of the mold, the metal powder and the substrate portion;
- (d) pre-sintering the assembly to cause the metal powder to adhere to the substrate portion, but not to the mold cavity;
- (e) removing the coated substrate portion from the mold;
- and
- (f) further sintering the coated substrate portion, the sintering steps being carried out in a non-reactive atmosphere.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.