Adjustable mold for forming spacer devices or parts thereof

1 . A mold ( 1 ) for forming spacer devices (SD) or parts thereof for replacement of a joint prosthesis or of a part thereof, comprising:

a main body ( 2 ) defining at least one molding cavity (MC); and

adjusting means for adjusting ( 3 ) a height of said at least one molding cavity (MC), so as to enable a variation of the height of said at least one molding cavity (MC) or to carry out a controlled filling of the at least one molding cavity in such a way that said mold ( 1 ) allows forming at least two spacer devices (SD) with different heights or thicknesses in relation to each other,

wherein said main body ( 2 ) comprises a base component ( 2 a ),

wherein said adjusting means ( 3 ) comprises at least one auxiliary component or insert ( 3 a , 3 e , 3 f ) engageable or connectable with said base component ( 2 a ),

wherein said at least one auxiliary component or insert ( 3 a , 3 e , 3 f ) is designed to define a bottom and/or a top of said at least one molding cavity (MC), said base component ( 2 a ) comprising one or more defining or delimiting sections ( 4 ) configured as steps extending from an inner wall of said at least one molding cavity to engage said at least one auxiliary component or insert and arranged to define or delimit a lateral surface or extension of said at least one molding cavity (MC), or

wherein said at least one auxiliary component or insert ( 3 e , 3 f ) is configured as a ring defining internally a surface that is cylindrical or stepped in staircase manner, said at least one auxiliary component or insert ( 3 e , 3 f ) comprising one or more defining or delimiting sections ( 4 ) that define or delimit the lateral surface or extension of said at least one molding cavity (MC), said at least one molding cavity (MC) being defined by said at least one auxiliary component or insert ( 3 e ) and at a bottom by said base component ( 2 a ) or by said at least one auxiliary component or insert ( 3 e , 3 f ).

2 . The mold ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more defining or delimiting sections ( 4 ) delimit at least one surface ( 4 c ) for contact or abutment of an auxiliary component or insert ( 3 a ).

3 . The mold ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said one or more defining or delimiting sections ( 4 ) delimit a plurality of contact or abutment surfaces ( 4 c ) for said auxiliary component or insert ( 3 a ), each contact or abutment surface ( 4 c ) being at a respective height of said molding cavity (MC).

4 . The mold ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein said one or more defining or delimiting sections ( 4 ) delimit said at least one molding cavity (MC) configured in a staircase manner.

5 . The mold ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said main body ( 2 ) delimits at one end ( 2 c ) a main opening (MO) for accessing the at least one molding cavity (MC), and wherein said main body ( 2 ) comprises at least one bottom ( 2 d ) opposite to the main opening (MO).

6 . The mold according to claim 1 , further comprising reference means ( 3 d ) for a controlled filling of said at least one molding cavity (MC).

7 . The mold according to claim 6 , wherein said reference means comprise one or more reference projections, recesses, or notches ( 3 d ) extending upwardly from a contact or abutment surface ( 4 c ) towards an outside of the mold.

8 . A kit ( 20 ) for forming at least two spacer devices (SD) or parts thereof for replacement of a joint prosthesis or of a part thereof, comprising:

a mold ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ; and

at least two auxiliary, lateral components, or inserts ( 3 a ) of different sizes from each other so as to allow a formation of the at least two spacer devices of different thicknesses or heights.

9 . The kit ( 20 ) according to claim 8 , wherein each of said at least two auxiliary, lateral components, or inserts ( 3 a ) has a base ( 3 b ) of a different width from the other insert or inserts, so that each insert ( 3 a ) is abuttable against a respective contact or abutment surface ( 4 c ) different from the other insert or inserts.

10 . A method of obtaining or forming a spacer device (SD) or a part thereof, comprising the following steps:

providing a mold ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ;

defining or delimiting a desired height or thickness of said spacer device (SD) or the part thereof through said adjusting means ( 3 );

providing a material for making said spacer device (SD) or the part thereof;

placing and/or casting said material in the at least one molding cavity (MC) of said mold ( 1 ) up to the height or the thickness of said spacer device (SD) or of the part thereof that was previously defined or delimited by said adjusting means ( 3 );

waiting for a time for a curing and/or hardening of said material and forming said spacer device (SD) or the part thereof;

extracting said spacer device (SD) or the part thereof from the mold ( 1 ).

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein said step of defining or delimiting comprises a sub-step of inserting the insert ( 3 a ) until the insert abuts against an abutment or contact surface ( 4 c ) so as to constitute, with the insert ( 3 a ), a bottom of the at least one molding cavity (MC).

12 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising a step of applying or abutting a closure element (SD 1 ) on an upper, in use, surface of the material that was previously placed and/or casted in the mold ( 1 ), so that the closure element (SD 1 ) constitutes a top of the spacer device (SD) or of the part to be formed.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of extracting comprises pressing the insert ( 3 a ) from below through a light or through opening ( 2 e ), thereby facilitating an extraction of the spacer device (SD) from the at least one molding cavity (MC).

14 . A mold ( 1 ) for forming spacer devices (SD) or parts thereof for replacement of a joint prosthesis or of a part thereof, comprising:

a main body ( 2 ) defining at least one molding cavity (MC); and

adjusting means for adjusting ( 3 ) a height of said at least one molding cavity (MC), so as to enable a variation of the height of said at least one molding cavity (MC) or to carry out a controlled filling of the at least one molding cavity in such a way that said mold ( 1 ) allows forming at least two spacer devices (SD) with different heights or thicknesses in relation to each other,

wherein said main body ( 2 ) comprises a base component ( 2 a ),

wherein said adjusting means ( 3 ) comprise at least one auxiliary or lateral component or insert ( 3 a , 3 e , 3 f ) engageable or connectable with said base component ( 2 a ),

wherein said at least one auxiliary or lateral component ( 3 a , 3 e , 3 f ) is designed to define a bottom of said at least one molding cavity (MC), or said at least one auxiliary or lateral component or insert ( 3 a , 3 e , 3 f ) is designed to define the bottom and/or a top of said at least one molding cavity (MC) and comprises one or more defining or delimiting sections ( 4 ) arranged to define or delimit a lateral surface or extension of said at least one molding cavity (MC),

wherein said main body ( 2 ) delimits at one end ( 2 c ) a main opening (MO) for accessing the at least one molding cavity (MC), and wherein said main body ( 2 ) comprises at least one bottom ( 2 d ) opposite to the main opening (MO), and

wherein said bottom ( 2 d ) of said main body is open so as to define a light or through opening ( 2 e ).

15 . The mold ( 1 ) according to claim 14 , wherein a cross-section of the molding cavity (MC) decreases from the main opening (MO) towards the bottom of the main body ( 2 ).

16 . The mold according to claim 14 , wherein said insert ( 3 a ) comprises at least one base ( 3 b ) and a hollow stem ( 3 c ) rising from the base ( 3 b ), said base ( 3 b ) defining an opening ( 3 b 1 ) that opens into the hollow stem ( 3 c ) so as to allow a deposition of a material for forming a spacer device (SD) also in the hollow stem ( 3 c ) after the insert ( 3 a ) has been placed in or on the main body ( 2 ).

17 . The mold according to claim 16 , wherein an end of said hollow stem ( 3 c ) protrudes at the light or through opening ( 2 e ).