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US4950299A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ball and socket bearing for artificial joint

Assignee: Zimmer Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1989-01-27
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Granted: 1990-08-21
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Expires: 2009-01-27
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Abstract

Abstract A socket bearing for implantation in a patient's body as part of a ball and socket joint is provided. The joint includes a ball portion and a socket portion. The ball portion includes a ball connected to a neck, and the socket portion includes two spaced-apart coaxial pin members which engage the socket bearing and allow the bearing to rotate in the assembled joint. The inner surface of the bearing forms a cavity for receiving the ball, and the outer surface includes two spaced-apart, cylindrically-shaped surfaces for receiving the pin members. The bearing can encompass either more than half or less than half of the ball, so that in the assembled joint, the ball is either physically constrained or not physically constrained within the bearing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Douglas G. Noiles

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 10:59
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/32; A61F2/36; A61F2/3609; A61F2002/30001; A61F2002/30316; A61F2002/30329; A61F2002/30426; A61F2002/30433; A61F2002/30535; A61F2002/30537; A61F2002/30538; A61F2002/3054; A61F2002/30621; A61F2002/30649; A61F2002/30662; A61F2/3094; A61F2002/30975; A61F2002/3208; A61F2002/3233; A61F2002/3241; A61F2/34; A61F2002/3443; A61F2002/348; A61F2002/349; A61F2002/3493; A61F2002/3625; A61F2002/3631; A61F2220/00; A61F2220/0025; A61F2220/0041

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 126 words
A prosthesis for implantation in a patient's body as part of a ball and socket joint, said joint including a ball portion and a socket portion, said ball portion including a ball connected to a neck, said socket portion including two spaced-apart coaxial pivoting means members, said prosthesis comprising a bearing shell having a polar axis, said shell comprising an inner surface at least a portion of which is spherically shaped which defines a cavity for receiving the ball, an outer surface at least a portion of which is spherically shaped, and a rim joining the two surfaces, wherein said shell includes two coaxial, diametrically-opposed, cylindrically-shaped surfaces which intersect the outer surface and are substantially transverse to said polar axis for engaging the pivoting means members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 126 words
A prosthesis for implantation in a patient's body as part of a ball and socket joint, said joint including a ball portion and a socket portion, said ball portion including a ball connected to a neck, said socket portion including two spaced-apart coaxial pivoting means members, said prosthesis comprising a bearing shell having a polar axis, said shell comprising an inner surface at least a portion of which is spherically shaped which defines a cavity for receiving the ball, an outer surface at least a portion of which is spherically shaped, and a rim joining the two surfaces, wherein said shell includes two coaxial, diametrically-opposed, cylindrically-shaped surfaces which intersect the outer surface and are substantially transverse to said polar axis for engaging the pivoting means members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the inner and outer surfaces have an angular extend greater than 180° in at least one plane containing the polar axis so that the ball is physically constrained within the bearing shell in the assembled joint.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 44 words
The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the inner and outer surface have an angular extend less than or equal to 180° in all planes containing the polar axis so that the ball is not physically constrained within the bearing shell in the assembled joint.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3886601A Cited
US3868730A Cited
US3903549A Cited
US4150444A Cited
US4040130A Cited
US4279041A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-08-20 1994-02-19 1994-08-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-08-20 1998-02-19 1998-08-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-08-20 2002-02-19 2002-08-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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