Apparatus for monitoring the cure of a bone cement material
AssigneeDepuy International Limited
InventorsMatthew Chandler, Philip Royston
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for monitoring the cure of a bone cement material provided in a container includes a memory device in which data is stored relating to the time taken for the cement material of the type in the container to cure according to the temperature of the material. A data processor is used to calculate the time taken for the cement material to cure, based on data relating to the temperature of the cement material and data in the memory device relating to extent of cure. An output device is provided for data from the data processor relating to the extent of cure of the cement material in the container.
Claims8
An apparatus for monitoring the cure of a bone cement material, comprising:
- a container for the cement material;
- a sensor for measuring the temperature of the cement material in the container while the cement material cures, wherein at least a portion of the sensor is located within the container;
- a memory device in which data is stored relating to the time taken for the cement material of the type in the container to cure according to the temperature of the material;
- a data processor for calculating the time taken for the cement material to cure, based on data relating to the temperature of the cement material and data in the memory device relating to extent of cure;
- and
- an output device for displaying data from the data processor relating to the extent of cure of the cement material in the container.
A method of monitoring the cure of a bone cement material, comprising the steps of:
- measuring the temperature of cement contained within a container while the cement cures;
- and
- calculating the time taken for the cement material to cure, based on (a) data relating to the temperature of the cement material obtained during curing of the cement material, and (b) data from a memory device relating to the extent of cure of the cement material according to the temperature of the material, wherein the calculating step is performed by a data processor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.