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US4446579A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Flexible ceramic bio-implant member

Assignee: Kyocera Corp
•
Filing: 1982-04-16
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Granted: 1984-05-08
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Expires: 2002-04-16
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Abstract

Abstract The disclosure relates to a flexible ceramic bio-implant member comprising a bundled body of a plurality of ceramic fibers having flexibility and elasticity and bundled into a desired shape in the state of the fibers being allowed to make flexible movement. The bio-implant member is enabled to serve the purpose of flexible reinforcement of a conventional implant member by the use of this flexible bio-implant member in combination with the latter.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kazuo Inamori
  • 👤 Masaya Hirabayashi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 15:46
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C8/00; A61C8/0012; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/72; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/3094; A61F2/30965; A61F2/32; A61F2/36; A61F2/3662

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 122 words
A flexible bio-implant member comprising a bundled body of a plurality of longitudinally arranged fibers having flexibility and elasticity and bundled into a desired shape in the state of the fibers being allowed to make flexible movement, wherein the length of each fiber extends in substantially the same longitudinal direction and said fiber bundled body is adapted for permanent insertion into the bone of a living body to be joined or redintegrated by the bio-implant member, wherein the fibers are arranged to define gaps therebetween which are sufficiently small so that new bone tissue will grow in the gaps and wherein the fibers have sufficient length so that they extend across a joint portion of the bone to be joined or redintegrated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 122 words
A flexible bio-implant member comprising a bundled body of a plurality of longitudinally arranged fibers having flexibility and elasticity and bundled into a desired shape in the state of the fibers being allowed to make flexible movement, wherein the length of each fiber extends in substantially the same longitudinal direction and said fiber bundled body is adapted for permanent insertion into the bone of a living body to be joined or redintegrated by the bio-implant member, wherein the fibers are arranged to define gaps therebetween which are sufficiently small so that new bone tissue will grow in the gaps and wherein the fibers have sufficient length so that they extend across a joint portion of the bone to be joined or redintegrated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 80 words
A member according to claim 1 wherein said fiber bundled body has a configuration adapted to fit into the medullary cavity of the bone of a living body and is adapted to be placed in the bone so that its outer circumference is in contact with the inside surface of the bone and is bound and bonded at least in a portion of the bundled body with said flexible bio-implant member by a bonding agent unharmful to the living body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
A member according to claim 1 wherein each fiber of said fiber bundled body is substantially the same in length.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 62 words
A member according to claim 1 wherein the fibers constituting said fiber bundled body consists of a plural kinds of fibers respectively different in lengths, said fibers forming a plurality of fiberlike macrogaps produced in the bundled body by the portions lacking in fibers because of unequal lengths between short and long fibers when the fibers are bundled into a desired shape.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 64 words
A member according to claim 1 wherein fibers of said fiber bundled body are selected from fibers each 1 mm in diameter or from a plural kinds of fibers whereby the configuration, size, flexibility and elasticity of said fiber bundled body are brought into correspondence with the function of the bone of said living body and the internal configuration of the fiber bundled body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
A member according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said fibers are selected from alumina monocrystalline fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, and silicon carbide fibers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
A member according to claim 1 wherein said fibers each are less than 1 mm in diameter and are of a solid body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 16 words
A member according to claim 1 wherein said fiber bundled body is substantially cylindrical in shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 41 words
A member according to claim 2 wherein said fiber bundled body consists of a core such as a rod, tube, ring, and the like, and of a substantially ringlike fiber bundled body having its component fibers arranged outside of said core.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 13 words
A member according to claim 2 wherein said fibers are oval in section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
A member according to claim 7 wherein said fibers are between 0.1 and 0.5 mm in diameter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
A member according to claim 5 wherein said fibers are tubular alumina crystalline fiber less than 2 mm in diameter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 25 words
A member according to claim 1 wherein said fiber bundled body has a configuration adapted to fit into a cavity artificially formed in the bone.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 101 words
A flexible bio-implant member comprising a bundled body of a plurality of longitudinally arranged substantially coextensive fibers having flexibility and elasticity and bundled into a desired shape in the state of the fibers being allowed to make flexible movement, wherein the length of each fiber extends in substantially the same longitudinal direction and said fiber bundled body is adapted for permanent insertion into the bone of a living body to be joined or redintegrated by the bio-implant member, wherein the fibers are arranged to define gaps therebetween which are sufficiently small so that new bone tissue will grow in the gaps.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 101 words
A flexible bio-implant member comprising a bundled body of a plurality of longitudinally arranged substantially coextensive fibers having flexibility and elasticity and bundled into a desired shape in the state of the fibers being allowed to make flexible movement, wherein the length of each fiber extends in substantially the same longitudinal direction and said fiber bundled body is adapted for permanent insertion into the bone of a living body to be joined or redintegrated by the bio-implant member, wherein the fibers are arranged to define gaps therebetween which are sufficiently small so that new bone tissue will grow in the gaps.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2210424A Cited
DE923085C Cited
US3662405A Cited
US3707006A Cited
US3906550A Cited
US4230455A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-05-08 1987-11-07 1988-05-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-05-08 1991-11-07 1992-05-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-05-08 1995-11-07 1996-05-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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