Bone broach and method of manufacturing a bone broach
A bone broach is formed from a plurality of substantially planar members which are positioned adjacent to each other with each of the substantially planar members attached to at least one other substantially planar member. At least some of the substantially planar members defines at least one cutting profile at its perimeter. The plurality of substantially planar members include a first group of substantially planar members defining planes which are substantially parallel to each other, and at least one additional substantially planar member defining a plane which is angled relative to the planes defined by the first group of substantially planar members.
1. A method of manufacturing a bone broach, the method comprising:
(a) preparing a plurality of substantially planar members of which at least some define at least one cutting profile at their perimeters,
(b) arranging the plurality of substantially planar members into:
a first group of substantially planar members defining planes which are substantially parallel to each other, and
at least one additional substantially planar member, which is a separate component from the first group of substantially planar members, and
(c) joining the plurality of substantially planar members together, that the at least one additional substantially planar member defines a plane which, when the at least one substantially planar member is assembled with the first group of substantially planar members, is angled relative to the planes defined by the first group of substantially planar members;
wherein, when the first group of substantially planar members is assembled with the additional substantially planar member, the assembled bone broach defines a three-dimensional structure with an external profile corresponding to the shape to be created in a bone by the broach.
2. The method of claim 1 , in which the preparing step comprises cutting or etching from a sheet of material.
3. The method of claim 2 , in which the preparing step comprises cutting or etching the plurality of substantially planar members from the same sheet of material.
4. The method of claim 1 , in which the additional substantially planar member is one of a second group of planar members, the second group of planar members which define planes which are substantially parallel to one another in the assembled broach, the planes defined by the second group of planar members being angled relative to the planes defined by the first group.
5. The method of claim 4 , in which the second group of substantially planar members define planes which are arranged in the arranging step so that they substantially perpendicular to the planes defined by the first group of substantially planar members.
6. The method of claim 4 , in which the arranging step includes forming interlocking stacks from the first group and the second group.
7. The method of claim 1 , in which the preparing step includes:
defining at least one opening in each substantially planar member of the first group, and
defining at least one protrusion in the additional substantially planar member or each substantially planar member of the second group,
and in which the arranging step includes engaging an opening in at least one substantially planar member of the first group with a protrusion of additional substantially planar member or at least one substantially planar member of the second group.
8. The method of claim 7 , in which the arranging step includes:
aligning at least one opening in each substantially planar member of the first group with an opening in a directly adjacent substantially planar member of the first group, thereby creating an aligned opening, and
engaging the aligned opening with a protrusion of the additional substantially planar member or at least one substantially planar member of the second group.
9. The method of claim 8 , in which the arranging step includes aligning directly adjacent substantially planar members of the first group such that the aligned opening extends through the first group in a direction perpendicular to the planes defined by the first group.
10. The method of claim 9 , in which the arranging step includes engaging a protrusion of at least one substantially planar member of the second group with the aligned opening, such that the protrusion extends out of the opening and defines at least one cutting profile.
11. The method of claim 1 , in which the plurality of substantially planar members comprise a metal or metal alloy and the joining comprises spot welding.
12. A method of manufacturing a system of at least two bone broaches of different sizes, the method comprising manufacturing each bone broach according to the method of claim 1 , in which the shape of at least one of the substantially planar members is the same in at least two of the bone broaches.