Implantable patella component having a thickened superior edge

1. An orthopaedic implant, comprising:

a patella component having (i) a posterior bearing surface configured to articulate with the femoral condyles of a femur, and (ii) an anterior surface having a number of pegs extending outwardly therefrom,

wherein, when viewed in a cross sectional view taken in the superior/inferior direction, the posterior bearing surface has (i) a curved peak surface that defines the posterior-most surface of the patella component, (ii) a flat superior surface that extends superiorly away from the curved peak surface, (iii) a rounded superior edge surface that extends superiorly away from the flat superior surface in the direction toward the anterior surface of the patella component, (iv) a flat inferior surface that extends inferiorly away from the curved peak surface, and (v) a rounded inferior edge surface that extends inferiorly away from the flat inferior surface in the direction toward the anterior surface of the patella component,

wherein, when viewed in a cross sectional view taken in the medial/lateral direction, the posterior bearing surface has (i) a flat medial surface that extends medially away from the curved peak surface, and (ii) a rounded medial edge surface that extends inferiorly away from the flat medial surface in the direction toward the anterior surface of the patella component,

wherein (i) a first imaginary line extends along the flat superior surface and defines a first tangent point at the transition of the flat superior surface and the rounded superior edge surface, (ii) a second imaginary line extends along the flat inferior surface and defines a second tangent point at the transition of the flat inferior surface and the rounded inferior edge surface, (iii) a third imaginary line extends along the flat medial surface and defines a third tangent point at the transition of the flat medial surface and the rounded medial edge surface, (iv) a first imaginary line segment extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component to the first tangent point, (v) a second imaginary line segment extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component to the second tangent point, (vi) a third imaginary line segment extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component to the third tangent point, (vii) the first imaginary line segment is longer than the second imaginary line segment, (viii) the second imaginary line segment is longer than the third imaginary line segment, (ix) a point on the curved peak surface defines the posterior-most point of the patella component, (x) a fourth imaginary line extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component through the posterior-most point of the patella component, (xi) a fifth imaginary line extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component through the midpoint of the superior/inferior width of the anterior surface of the patella component, and (xii) the fourth imaginary line is parallel to, and spaced apart from, the fifth imaginary line.

2. The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein:

when viewed in the cross sectional view taken in the medial/lateral direction, the posterior bearing surface has (i) a flat lateral surface that extends laterally away from the curved peak surface, and (ii) a rounded lateral edge surface that extends laterally away from the flat lateral surface in the direction toward the anterior surface of the patella component, and

a sixth imaginary line extends along the flat lateral surface and defines a fourth tangent point at the transition of the flat lateral surface and the rounded lateral edge surface,

a sixth imaginary line segment extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component to the fourth tangent point, and

the second imaginary line segment is longer than the sixth imaginary line segment.

3. The orthopaedic implant of claim 2 , wherein the third imaginary line segment is equal in length to the sixth imaginary line segment.

4. The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein the rounded superior edge surface comprises (i) a curved corner surface connected to the flat superior surface, and (ii) a flat surface that connects the curved corner surface to the anterior surface of the patella component.

5. The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein the patella component comprises a monolithic polyethylene body.

6. The orthopaedic implant of claim 1 , wherein:

the curved peak surface transitions superiorly to the flat superior surface, inferiorly to the flat inferior surface, and medially to the flat medial surface,

the flat superior surface transitions to the rounded superior edge surface,

the flat inferior surface transitions to the rounded inferior edge surface, and

the flat medial surface transitions to the rounded medial edge surface.

7. The orthopaedic implant of claim 6 , wherein:

the rounded superior edge surface transitions to the anterior surface of the patella component,

the rounded inferior edge surface transitions to the anterior surface of the patella component, and

the rounded medial edge surface transitions to the anterior surface of the patella component.

8. An orthopaedic implant, comprising:

a patella component having (i) a posterior bearing surface configured to articulate with the femoral condyles of a femur, and (ii) an anterior surface having a number of pegs extending outwardly therefrom,

wherein, when viewed in a cross sectional view taken in the superior/inferior direction, the posterior bearing surface has (i) a curved peak surface that defines the posterior-most surface of the patella component, (ii) a flat superior surface that extends superiorly away from the curved peak surface, (iii) a flat inferior surface that extends inferiorly away from the curved peak surface, (iv) a rounded superior edge surface that extends superiorly away from the flat superior surface in the direction toward the anterior surface of the patella component, and (v) a rounded inferior edge surface that extends inferiorly away from the flat inferior surface in the direction toward the anterior surface of the patella component,

wherein, when viewed in a cross sectional view taken in the medial/lateral direction, the posterior bearing surface has (i) a flat medial surface that extends medially away from the curved peak surface (ii) a flat lateral surface that extends laterally away from the curved peak surface, (iii) a rounded medial edge surface that extends medially away from the flat medial surface in the direction toward the anterior surface of the patella component, and (iv) a rounded lateral edge surface that extends laterally away from the flat lateral surface in the direction toward the anterior surface of the patella component,

wherein (i) a first imaginary line extends along the flat superior surface and defines a first tangent point at the transition of the flat superior surface and the rounded superior edge surface, (ii) a second imaginary line extends along the flat inferior surface defines a second tangent point at the transition of the flat inferior surface and the rounded inferior edge surface, and intersects the first imaginary line to define a first angle of intersection therebetween, (iii) a third imaginary line extends along the flat medial surface and defines a third tangent point at the transition of the flat medial surface and the rounded medial edge surface, (iv) a fourth imaginary line extends along the flat lateral surface, defines a fourth tangent point at the transition of the flat lateral surface and the rounded lateral edge surface, and intersects the third imaginary line to define a second angle of intersection therebetween, (v) the first angle of intersection is greater than the second angle of intersection, (vi) a first imaginary line segment extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component to the first tangent point, (vii) a second imaginary line segment extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component to the second tangent point, (viii) a third imaginary line segment extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component to the third tangent point, (ix) a fourth imaginary line segment extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component to the fourth tangent point, (x) the length of the first imaginary line segment is greater than or equal to the length of the second imaginary line segment, (xi) and the first imaginary line segment is longer than both the third imaginary line segment and the fourth imaginary line segment.

9. The orthopaedic implant of claim 8 ,

wherein the first imaginary line segment is equal in length to the second imaginary line segment.

10. The orthopaedic implant of claim 8 , wherein the first imaginary line segment is longer than the second imaginary line segment.

11. The orthopaedic implant of claim 8 , wherein the third imaginary line segment is equal in length to the fourth imaginary line segment.

12. The orthopaedic implant of claim 8 , wherein the rounded superior edge surface comprises (i) a curved corner surface connected to the flat superior surface, and (ii) a flat surface that connects the curved corner surface to the anterior surface of the patella component.

13. The orthopaedic implant of claim 8 , wherein:

the curved peak surface transitions (i) superiorly to the flat superior surface, (ii) inferiorly to the flat inferior surface, (iii) medially to the flat medial surface, and (iv) laterally to the flat lateral surface,

the flat superior surface transitions to the rounded superior edge surface,

the flat inferior surface transitions to the rounded inferior edge surface,

the flat medial surface transitions to the rounded medial edge surface, and

the flat lateral surface transitions to the rounded lateral edge surface.

14. The orthopaedic implant of claim 13 , wherein:

the rounded superior edge surface transitions to the anterior surface of the patella component,

the rounded inferior edge surface transitions to the anterior surface of the patella component, and

the rounded medial edge surface transitions to the anterior surface of the patella component, and

the rounded lateral edge surface transitions to the anterior surface of the patella component.

15. The orthopaedic implant of claim 8 , wherein the patella component comprises a monolithic polyethylene body.

16. The orthopaedic implant of claim 8 , wherein:

a point on the curved peak surface defines the posterior-most point of the patella component,

a fifth imaginary line extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component through the posterior-most point of the patella component,

a sixth imaginary line extends orthogonally from the anterior surface of the patella component through the midpoint of the superior/inferior width of the anterior surface of the patella component, and

the fifth imaginary line is parallel to, and spaced apart from, the sixth imaginary line.