# US 9,872,772 B2 · Prosthetic joint > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,872,772 B2 - Document ID: US9872772B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/412,630 - Filed: 2013-07-02 - Published: 2015-05-28 - Granted: 2018-01-23 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-02 - Assignees: University of Utah Research Foundation - Applicants: University of Utah Research Foundation - Inventors: Bart Raeymaekers; Anthony Sanders - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9872772B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/30771: {applied in original prostheses, e.g. holes or grooves} - A61F 2/32: for the hip - A61F 2/34: Acetabular cups - A61L 27/04: Metals or alloys - A61L 27/10: Ceramics or glasses - A61L 27/105: {containing Al2O3} - A61L 27/34: Macromolecular materials - A61L 27/50: Materials characterised by their function or physical properties {, e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials} - A61F 2002/30673: {Lubricating means, e.g. synovial pocket} - A61F 2002/30784: {Plurality of holes} - A61F 2002/30805: {Recesses of comparatively large area with respect to their low depth} - A61F 2002/30807: {Plurality of blind bores} - A61F 2002/30934: {Special articulating surfaces} - A61L 2400/10: Materials for lubricating medical devices - A61L 2430/24: for joint reconstruction - 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) - 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) ## Abstract A prosthetic joint (100) comprises a first component (110) having a first interface portion (111). The prosthetic joint (100) further comprises a second component (120) having a second interface portion (121) with a textured surface (122) to interface with the first interface portion (111) and form a skeletal joint. The textured surface (122) can include a plurality of concave features (123). Each or the concave features (123) can be configured to compress a lubricant (140) to facilitate hydrodynamic lubrication between the first and second interface portions (111, 121) to minimize wear between the first interface portion (111) and the second interface portion (121) of the prosthetic joint (100). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A prosthetic joint, comprising: a first component having a first interface portion; and a second component having a second interface portion with a textured surface to interface with the first interface portion and form a skeletal joint, wherein the first interface portion comprises at least one of a metal and a ceramic, and the second interface portion comprises a polymer, and wherein the textured surface includes a plurality of concave features, each of the concave features being configured to compress a lubricant to facilitate hydrodynamic lubrication during use between the first and second interface portions to minimize wear between the first interface portion and the second interface portion of the prosthetic joint, and wherein each of the concave features has a depth to width aspect ratio of between 0.005 and 0.02. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein a depth of each of the concave features is between 0.5 micrometers and 2 micrometers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein a width of each of the concave features is between 50 micrometers and 200 micrometers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein a shape of each of the concave features is axis-symmetric. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The prosthetic joint of claim 4, wherein the shape is defined at least in part by a sphere. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein the plurality of concave features comprises an array of concave features in a predetermined pattern. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The prosthetic joint of claim 6, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises uniform spacing between the plurality of concave features. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein an area density of the plurality of concave features on the second interface portion is between 10% and 50%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein the plurality of concave features are substantially the same size and shape. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein the first component comprises an acetabular component to couple with an acetabulum and the first interface portion comprises an acetabular cup, and wherein the second component comprises a femoral component to couple with a femur and the second interface portion comprises a femoral head. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises cobalt, chrome, titanium, nickel, iron, molybdenum, zirconium, aluminum, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein the ceramic comprises zirconium dioxide, aluminum oxide, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The prosthetic joint of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises polyethylene, polyetheretherketone, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 A method of facilitating use of a prosthetic joint, comprising: providing a first component having a first interface portion; providing a second component having a second interface portion with a textured surface having a plurality of concave features to interface with the first interface portion and form a skeletal joint, wherein the first interface portion comprises at least one of a metal and a ceramic, and the second interface portion comprises a polymer, and where each of the plurality of concave features has a depth to width aspect ratio of between 0.005 and 0.02; and facilitating hydrodynamic lubrication between the first and second interface portions during use by compressing a lubricant to minimize wear between the first interface portion and the second interface portion of the prosthetic joint. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second interface portion comprises the textured surface having the plurality of concave features, each of the concave features being configured to compress the lubricant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising optimizing the textured surface for a given patient based on at least one of a weight of the patient and activity level of the patient. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein optimizing the textured surface comprises optimizing a pattern of the plurality of concave features. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein optimizing the textured surface comprises optimizing at least one of a size and a shape of the plurality of concave features.