Crosslinked polyethylene article
AssigneeOMNI life science, Inc.
InventorEdward J. Cheal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing an article may include crosslinking a UHMWPE preform, shaping the crosslinked preform, heat-treating the shape in a temperature-controlled oven and low-oxygen environment, and inspecting the heat-treated shape for conformance to article specifications.
Claims26
A method of manufacturing an article formed at least in part by ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), comprising:
- irradiating a UHMWPE preform;
- then
- machining the article from the preform such that material in excess of a final geometry of the article remains;
- then
- heat-treating the machined irradiated preform in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free environment, at a temperature below the UHMWPE melt temperature, to form an irradiated, machined, and stabilized article;
- further machining the article to remove the excess material;
- and then
- inspecting the irradiated, machined, and stabilized article for conformance to article specifications.
A method of manufacturing an article formed at least in part by ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), comprising in the following order:
- irradiating a UHMWPE preform;
- then
- machining the article from the preform such that material in excess of a final geometry of the article remains;
- then
- heat-treating the article in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free environment at an average temperature in the range of about 80 to about 100 degrees Celsius;
- then
- further machining the article to remove the excess material;
- and then
- inspecting the article for conformance to a specification.
A method of manufacturing an article formed at least in part by ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), comprising in the following order:
- irradiating a UHMWPE preform with about 8 Mrad of gamma radiation;
- then
- machining the article from the preform such that about 0.02 inches of material in excess of a final geometry of the article remains on at least one surface of the article;
- then
- heat-treating the article in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free environment for up to about 24 hours at a temperature in the range of about 85 to about 90 degrees Celsius;
- then
- further machining the article to remove the excess material;
- then
- inspecting the article for conformance to a specification;
- then
- packaging the article;
- and then
- sterilizing the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.