Method for forming biocompatible components
AssigneeBiomet, Inc.
InventorsGarry Lee England, Joel C. Higgins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming biocompatible components from a stock of substantially completely consolidated material. The method includes the step of forming an incompletely consolidated stock from a powder. The substantially completely consolidated stock is then formed from the incompletely consolidated stock. Finally, the substantially completely consolidated stock is then machined to form the biocompatible component.
Claims19
A method for molding a powder to form a substantially completely consolidated stock of material, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming an incompletely consolidated stock from said powder;
- and
- forming said substantially completely consolidated stock from said incompletely consolidated stock;
- wherein said step of forming an incompletely consolidated stock comprises the steps of:
- placing said powder into a first flexible container;
- and
- subjecting said first flexible container to a cold isostatic pressure treatment so as to form said incompletely consolidated stock.
A method for molding a powder to form substantially completely consolidated stock of material, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing said powder into a first flexible container;
- substantially evacuating and sealing said first flexible container;
- subjecting said first flexible container to a first pressure treatment so as to form an incompletely consolidated stock from said powder;
- placing said incompletely consolidated stock into a second flexible container;
- substantially evacuating said second flexible container;
- and
- subjecting said second flexible container to a second pressure treatment so as to form said substantially completely consolidated stock from said incompletely consolidated stock.
A method for molding a powder to form a substantially consolidated stock of material, said method comprising the steps of:
- preparing said substantially consolidated stock from a powder by:
- (a) subjecting said powder to a cold isostatic pressure treatment thereby forming an incompletely consolidated stock from said powder,
- (b) subjecting said incompletely consolidated stock to a hot isostatic pressure treatment to form said substantially consolidated stock from said incompletely consolidated stock while impeding the formation of a crystalline structure;
- and
- machining said substantially consolidated stock to form said biocompatible component.
The method for molding a powder to form a substantially consolidated stock of material according to claim 18, wherein said step of placing said incompletely consolidated stock into a second flexible container includes the steps of:
- substantially enclosing said second flexible container;
- and
- substantially evacuating said second flexible container.
A method for molding a powder to form a substantially consolidated stock of material, said method comprising the steps of:
- preparing said substantially consolidated stock from a powder by:
- (a) subjecting said powder to a cold isostatic pressure treatment thereby forming an incompletely consolidated stock from said powder,
- (b) subjecting said incompletely consolidated stock to a hot isostatic pressure treatment to form said substantially consolidated stock from said incompletely consolidated stock while controlling crystallinity so as to substantially avoid increasing the crystallinity of the substantially consolidated stock above that of the powder;
- and
- machining said substantially consolidated stock to form said biocompatible component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.