Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
An implantable joint prosthesis comprising a metal tray and rigid plastic insert removably fitted into said tray, said tray having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface having at least one stem for insertion into a human bone, said upper surface of said metal tray having a generally flat continuous central region and an upwardly extending wall enclosing the major portion of the central region, recesses adjacent the base of the wall on opposite sides of the tray, said rigid plastic insert having a generally flat continuous lower surface and a first and second tab at the lower edge of the insert at a location which corres-ponds to the recesses in the tray, a narrow slot in the lower surface of the insert and spaced immediately behind at least the first tab to allow the first tab to deflect when the insert is forced into the tray.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
An implantable joint prosthesis comprising a metal tray and rigid plastic insert removably fitted into said tray, said tray having an upper surface and a lower surface, said lower surface having at least one stem for insertion into a human bone, said upper surface of said metal tray having a generally flat continuous central region and an upwardly extending wall enclosing the major portion of the central region, recesses adjacent the base of the wall on opposite sides of the tray, said rigid plastic insert having a generally flat continuous lower surface and a first and second tab at the lower edge of the insert at a location which corres-ponds to the recesses in the tray, a narrow slot in the lower surface of the insert and spaced immediately behind at least the first tab to allow the first tab to deflect when the insert is forced into the tray.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The prosthesis of claim 1 in which the surface of the forward edge of the first tab is cut on a radius to provide a camming surface with said upwardly extending wall to force the body of the tab rearward when a force is applied.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The prosthesis of claim 1 in which the surface of the forward edge of the first tab is at an angle of from 45 to 60 degrees and the interior surface of the top of the wall is cut at a similar angle to provide a camming surface to force the body of the tab rearward when a force is applied.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The prosthesis of claim 2 in which the configuration of second tab and the matching recess in the tray are generally rectangular.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The prosthesis of Claim 1 in which the plastic insert has a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion of the insert having a height equal to the height of the wall of the tray and dimensioned to fit within the wall of the tray with a clearance of from 1 to 25 thousands of an inch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The prosthesis of Claim 4 in which the top of the wall of the tray, at a location over the second tab, is cut away to provide clearance for the second tab to be freely positioned in its recess.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The prosthesis of Claim 4 in which there is an opening in the center of the insert adjacent the top of the wall of the tray to receive a removal tool to remove the insert from the tray.