# US 8,147,560 B2 · Implant and method for the production of an implant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,147,560 B2 - Document ID: US8147560B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/322,511 - Filed: 2009-02-02 - Published: 2009-08-20 - Granted: 2012-04-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-08-16 - Assignees: Ionbond AG Olten; Aesculap AG - Inventors: Richard Zeller; Jan Reich; Fred-Rainer Grohmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8147560B2 ## CPC - A61L 27/30: Inorganic materials - A61F 2/30767: {Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth} - A61L 27/306: {Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/303 - A61L27/32} - C23C 28/321: {with at least one metal alloy layer} - C23C 28/322: {only coatings of metal elements only} - C23C 28/34: {including at least one inorganic non-metallic material layer, e.g. metal carbide, nitride, boride, silicide layer and their mixtures, enamels, phosphates and sulphates} - C23C 28/347: {with layers adapted for cutting tools or wear applications} - C23C 28/36: {including layers graded in composition or physical properties} - C23C 28/42: {characterized by the composition of the alternating layers} - A61F 2/08: Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments - A61F 2/3094: {Designing or manufacturing processes} - A61F 2/32: for the hip - A61F 2/34: Acetabular cups - A61F 2/38: for elbows or knees - A61F 2/44: for the spine, e.g. vertebrae or spinal discs - A61F 2/442: {Intervertebral or spinal discs, e.g. resilient (non-disc-shaped intervertebral inflatable pockets A61F2/441; non-disc-shaped intervertebral fusion implants A61F2/4455)} - A61F 2002/30016: {differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell} - A61F 2002/30107: {using materials or accessories for preventing galvanic or electrolytic corrosion} - A61F 2002/30685: {Means for reducing or preventing the generation of wear particulates} - A61F 2002/30922: {Hardened surfaces} - A61F 2002/30929: {having at least two superposed coatings} - A61F 2002/30934: {Special articulating surfaces} - A61F 2002/3611: {Heads or epiphyseal parts of femur} - A61F 2210/0009: using materials or accessories for preventing galvanic or electrolytic corrosion - A61F 2250/0019: differing in hardness, e.g. Vickers, Shore, Brinell - A61F 2310/00029: Cobalt-based alloys, e.g. Co-Cr alloys or Vitallium - A61F 2310/00485: Coating made of zirconium or Zr-based alloys - A61F 2310/00491: Coating made of niobium or Nb-based alloys - A61F 2310/00544: Coating made of tantalum or Ta-based alloys - A61F 2310/00856: Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of compounds based on metal nitrides - A61F 2310/00886: Coating made of chromium nitride - A61F 2310/00892: Coating made of zirconium nitride - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract An implant for insertion into a human or animal body which comprises at least one implant part is provided. The at least one implant part has a base member which is produced from an implant material and has a surface which is designed at least partially in the form of an artificial joint surface. Part of or the entire joint surface is covered with a wear-reducing hard material coating, such that a service life of the implant is extended and the compatibility of the implant increased. An intermediate layer is provided between the hard material coating and the at least one joint surface formed from the implant material for the purpose of reducing tension between the hard material coating and the implant material. A corresponding method for production of an implant is also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Implant for insertion into a human or animal body, comprising: at least one implant part having a base member produced from an implant material and having a surface designed at least partially in a form of an artificial joint surface, a wear-reducing hard material coating covering at least part of the joint surface, an intermediate layer provided between the hard material coating and the joint surface for the purpose of reducing tension between the hard material coating and the implant material, wherein: the hard material coating is designed as a multilayered layer system; the layer system has an outer covering layer pointing away from the implant part and at least one inner layer located beneath the covering layer; a hardness of the covering layer is greater than a hardness of the at least one inner layer; the at least one inner layer comprises at least one of a chromium nitride (CrN) layer and a chromium carbonitride (CrCN) layer; and the covering layer either contains zirconium (Zr) or is zirconium nitride (ZrN). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the hard material coating is designed as a corrosion-inhibiting coating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the hard material coating is designed as a coating forming a metal ion barrier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Implant as defined in claim 3, wherein the coating forming a metal ion barrier is a coating reducing ion loss from the implant part by at least a factor of 10 in comparison with an implant part without any coating forming a metal ion barrier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) Implant as defined in claim 3, wherein the coating forming a metal ion barrier is a coating forming a barrier for at least one of cobalt, chromium, molybdenum and nickel ions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the hard material coating comprises at least one ceramic layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein several inner layers are formed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Implant as defined in claim 7, wherein at least two different inner layers are formed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Implant as defined in claim 8, wherein more than two inner layers are formed and wherein the at least two different inner layers are designed to be superimposed alternatingly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) Implant as defined in claim 7, wherein five inner layers are formed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the covering layer directly covers an inner layer consisting of chromium nitride (CrN). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is a metallic layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) Implant as defined in claim 12, wherein the intermediate layer contains no metal contained in the implant material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is a layer consisting of a zirconium alloy, of a niobium alloy, of a tantalum alloy, of pure niobium, of pure tantalum or of pure zirconium. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the hard material coating and the intermediate layer are layers applied by way of physical vapor deposition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness in a range of 30×10−9 m to 200×10−9 m. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the hard material coating has a thickness in a range of 50×10−6 m to 500×10−6 m. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the hard material coating has a scratch resistance of at least 100 N. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant material contains cobalt or is a cobalt alloy. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) Implant as defined in claim 19, wherein the cobalt alloy is a cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy (CoCr29Mo6). ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant is an artificial hip or knee joint, a vertebral body replacement implant or an artificial intervertebral disk prosthesis. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) Implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one implant part is a joint ball or a joint socket of a hip joint prosthesis, an artificial condyle or a tibial plate of a knee joint prosthesis or a contact element of an intervertebral disk prosthesis having or bearing a joint surface. ### Claim 23 Method for the production of an implant for insertion into a human or animal body, said implant comprising at least one implant part, the method comprising: producing a base member of the at least one implant part from an implant material, the base member having a surface designed at least partially in a form of an artificial joint surface, applying a wear-reducing hard material coating to at least part of the joint surface, prior to the application of the hard material coating, applying an intermediate layer to at least part of the joint surface for the purpose of reducing mechanical tension between the hard material coating and the implant material, wherein: the hard material coating is designed as a multilayered layer system; the layer system has an outer covering layer pointing away from the implant part and at least one inner layer located beneath the covering layer; a hardness of the covering layer is greater than a hardness of the at least one inner layer; the at least one inner layer comprises at least one of a chromium nitride (CrN) layer and a chromium carbonitride (CrCN) layer; and the covering layer either contains zirconium (Zr) or is zirconium nitride (ZrN). ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) Method as defined in claim 23, wherein at least one of the hard material coating and the intermediate layer are applied by way of physical vapor deposition. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) Method as defined in claim 23, wherein the intermediate layer is applied with a thickness in a range of 30×10−9 m to 200×10−9 m. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) Method as defined in claim 23, wherein a metallic layer is applied as an intermediate layer. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) Method as defined in claim 23, wherein a layer containing no metal contained in the implant material is applied as an intermediate layer. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) Method as defined in claim 23, wherein a layer consisting of a zirconium alloy, a ceramic containing zirconium or of pure zirconium is applied as an intermediate layer. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) Method as defined in claim 23, wherein the implant is produced in a form of an artificial hip or knee joint, a vertebral body replacement implant or an artificial intervertebral disk prosthesis.