Laser based metal deposition (LBMD) of implant structures
View Patent ↗A method of depositing a hard wear resistant surface onto a porous or non-porous base material of a medical implant. The medical implant device formed by a Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) method. The porous material of the base promotes bone ingrowth allowing the implant to fuse strongly with the bone of a host patient. The hard wear resistant surface provides device longevity when applied to bearing surfaces such as artificial joint bearing surface or a dental implant bearing surface.
1. A device comprising:
a medical implant comprising:
a metal base structure; and
a bearing material formed onto said metal base structure by Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) in an inert gas atmosphere to provide a small bonding zone at which material is deposited and rapidly cooled to form an articulating bearing surface;
wherein the bearing material comprises a biocompatible composition and has a hardness greater than a hardness of the metal base structure;
wherein the bearing material comprises a thickness ranging from about 0.01 inches to about 0.2 inches.
2. A device as in claim 1 , wherein said metal base structure comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: Cobalt-Chrome, Tantalum, Titanium, Platinum, stainless steel, and alloys thereof.
3. A device as in claim 2 , wherein said metal base structure comprises porous Tantalum.
4. A device as in claim 1 , wherein said bearing material is coupled to a second medical implant.
5. A device as in claim 1 , wherein the bearing material comprises Cobalt (Co) and Chromium (Cr).
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bearing material is formed by Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS).
7. A device as in claim 1 , wherein said thickness of said articulating bearing surface is about 1.5 mm.
8. A device as in claim 1 , wherein said base metal structure is formed independently of any LBMD process.
9. A device as in claim 1 , wherein said bearing material comprises a non-composite material deposited substantially entirely by LBMD.
10. A device comprising:
a medical implant comprising:
a base; and
a bearing material formed onto said base by Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) in an inert gas atmosphere to provide a small bonding zone at which material is deposited and rapidly cooled to form an articulating bearing surface, thereby forming a medical implant device implantable into a body of a patient;
wherein the bearing material has a hardness greater than a hardness of the base;
wherein the bearing material comprises a thickness ranging from about 0.01 inches to about 0.2 inches.
11. A device as in claim 10 , wherein said base comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: Cobalt-Chrome, Tantalum, Titanium, Platinum, stainless steel, and alloys thereof.
12. A device as in claim 11 , wherein said base comprises porous Tantalum.
13. A device as in claim 10 , wherein said bearing material is coupled to a second medical implant.
14. A device as in claim 10 , wherein the bearing material comprises Cobalt (Co) and Chromium (Cr).
15. A device as in claim 10 , wherein the bearing material is adapted to be deposited by heating the bearing material with a high power Nd YAG laser.
16. The device of claim 10 , wherein the base is shaped to be secured to a body part of a patient.
17. A device as in claim 1 , wherein said metal base structure comprises a primary component, and wherein said composition of said bearing material excludes said primary component.
18. A device as in claim 10 , wherein said base comprises a primary component, and wherein a composition of said bearing material excludes said primary component.
19. A device as in claim 10 , wherein said thickness of said articulating bearing surface is about 1.5 mm.
20. A device as in claim 10 , wherein said base metal structure is formed independently of any LENS process.
21. A device as in claim 10 , wherein said bearing material comprises a non-composite material deposited substantially entirely by LENS.
22. A method for constructing a medical implant device, the method comprising:
forming a medical implant structure from a base metal; and
forming an articulating surface on said medical implant structure using Laser Based Metal Deposition (LBMD) in an inert gas atmosphere to provide a small bonding zone at which material is deposited and rapidly cooled, wherein the articulating surface comprises a biocompatible composition;
wherein the bearing material comprises a thickness ranging from about 0.01 inches to about 0.2 inches.
23. A method as in claim 22 , wherein the medical implant structure comprises a base shaped to be secured to a body part of a patient.
24. A method as in claim 22 , wherein said structure comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: cobalt-chrome, tantalum (Ta), titanium, stainless steel, and alloys thereof.
25. A method as in claim 24 , wherein said structure comprises porous Tantalum.
26. A method as in claim 22 , wherein said articulating surface comprises Cobalt (Co) and Chromium (Cr).
27. A method as in claim 22 , wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises applying said articulating surface as a foil and heating said foil with a laser.
28. A method as in claim 22 , wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises applying said articulating surface as a powder and heating said powder with a laser.
29. A method as in claim 22 , wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises applying said articulating surface as a wire and heating said wire with a laser.
30. A method as in claim 22 , wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises heating said articulating surface with a high power Nd YAG laser.
31. A method as in claim 22 , wherein forming said articulating surface onto said medical implant structure comprises using Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS).
32. A method as in claim 22 , wherein said structure comprises a primary component, and wherein said composition of said articulating surface excludes said primary component.
33. A method as in claim 22 , wherein said thickness of said articulating surface is about 1.5 mm.
34. A method as in claim 22 , wherein forming said structure comprises avoiding the use of any LBMD process.
35. A method as in claim 22 , wherein forming said articulating surface comprises forming a non-composite material substantially entirely by LBMD.