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US5681575A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Anti-microbial coating for medical devices

Assignee: Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp Canada
•
Filing: 1993-05-07
•
Granted: 1997-10-28
•
Expires: 2013-05-07
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Abstract

Abstract Anti-microbial coatings and method of forming same on medical devices are provided. The coatings are formed by depositing a biocompatible metal by vapor deposition techniques to produce atomic disorder in the coating such that a sustained release of metal ions sufficient to produce an anti-microbial effect is achieved. Preferred deposition conditions to achieve atomic disorder include a lower than normal substrate temperature, and one or more of a higher than normal working gas pressure and a lower than normal angle of incidence of coating flux. Anti-microbial powders formed by mechanical working to produce atomic disorder are also provided. The invention extends to other metal coatings and powders similarly formed so as to provide enhanced solubility.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert Edward Burrell
  • 👤 Larry Roy Morris

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 09:53
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/225; A; A61; A61L; A61L17/00; A61L17/14; A61L17/145; A01; A01N; A01N59/00; A01N59/16; A61L27/00; A61L27/28; A61L27/30; A61L27/306; A61L27/50; A61L27/54; A61L29/00; A61L29/08; A61L29/10; A61L29/106; A61L29/14; A61L29/16; A61L31/00; A61L31/14; A61L31/16; C23C14/0021; C23C14/0036; C23C14/02; C23C14/024; C23C14/025; C23C14/06; C23C14/0688; C23C14/08; C23C14/086; C23C14/14; C23C14/16; C23C14/20; C23C14/205; C23C14/34; C23C14/35; C23C14/58; C23C14/5873; C23C14/588; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00107; A61B2018/00119; A61L2300/00; A61L2300/10; A61L2300/102; A61L2300/104; A61L2300/40; A61L2300/404; A61L2300/60; A61L2300/602; A61L2300/606; H; H01; H01H; H01H2300/00; H01H2300/014; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/70; Y10S977/778; Y10S977/781; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/89; Y10S977/891; Y10S977/902; Y10S977/904; Y10S977/931

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 104 words
A medical device intended for use in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte having an anti-microbial coating on its surface, comprising: a medical device formed of a substantially bioinert structural material; and an anti-microbial coating formed on the surface of the medical device, said coating being formed from one or more anti-microbial metals and having sufficient atomic disorder such that the coating, in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte, releases ions, atoms, molecules or clusters of the anti-microbial metal into the alcohol or water based electrolyte at a concentration sufficient to provide a localized anti-microbial effect on a sustainable basis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 104 words
A medical device intended for use in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte having an anti-microbial coating on its surface, comprising: a medical device formed of a substantially bioinert structural material; and an anti-microbial coating formed on the surface of the medical device, said coating being formed from one or more anti-microbial metals and having sufficient atomic disorder such that the coating, in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte, releases ions, atoms, molecules or clusters of the anti-microbial metal into the alcohol or water based electrolyte at a concentration sufficient to provide a localized anti-microbial effect on a sustainable basis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 30 words
The medical device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the deposition is performed by a physical vapour deposition technique selected from vacuum evaporation, sputtering, magnetron sputtering or ion plating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
The medical device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Ir, Sn, Cu, Sb, Bi, and Zn or alloys or compounds containing one or more of said metals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
The medical device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the metal is Ag, Au or Pd or an alloy or compound containing one or more of these metals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 49 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coating is a composite coating formed from the anti-microbial metal in a matrix containing atoms or molecules of a material different from the anti-microbial metal, the atoms or molecules of the different material creating atomic disorder in the matrix.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
The medical device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the different material is one or more of (a) reacted species of the anti-microbial metal or metal compound; (b) absorbed or trapped atoms or molecules of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, boron, sulphur and halogen; and (c) an inert metal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 49 words
The medical device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the different material is one or more of (a) oxides, nitrides, hydrides, halides, borides, and carbides of an anti-microbial or an inert metal; and (b) absorbed or trapped atoms or molecules containing oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, boron, sulphur and halogen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 41 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the different material is an oxide, nitride, boride, sulphide, halide, or hydride of an inert metal selected from the group consisting of Ta, Ti, Nb, V, Hf, Zn, Mo, Si, and Al.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 32 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coating comprises silver oxide, silver metal, and optionally absorbed or trapped atoms or molecules containing oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, boron, sulphur, and halogen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 26 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coating comprises silver oxide, silver oxide and optionally absorbed or trapped atoms or molecules containing oxygen.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 21 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the anti-microbial metal is silver or an alloy or compound containing silver.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coating is formed by vapour deposition under conditions which limit diffusion during deposition and which limit annealing or recrystallization following deposition.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the coating is formed by physical vapour deposition.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 34 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the material is a coating of one or more anti-microbial metals formed on the medical device by vacuum evaporation, sputtering, magnetron sputtering or ion plating.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 45 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the deposition is performed under conditions such that a ratio of the temperature of the medical device to the melting point of the metal or metal compound being deposited is maintained at less than about 0.5.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 18 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the ratio is maintained at less than about 0.3.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 35 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the deposition is performed such that an angle of incidence of the coating flux on the medical device to be coated is less than about 75°.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 29 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the deposition is performed by arc evaporation at an ambient or working gas pressure of greater than about 0.01 mT.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 28 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the deposition is performed by gas scattering evaporation at a working gas pressure of greater than about 20 mT.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 26 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the deposition is performed by sputtering at a working gas pressure of greater than about 75 mT.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 27 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the deposition is performed by magnetron sputtering at a working gas pressure of greater than about 10 mT.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
The medical device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the deposition is performed by ion plating at a working gas pressure of greater than about 200 mT.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 28 words
The medical device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the deposition is performed by magnetron sputtering at a working gas pressure of greater than about 30 mT.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 163 words
A medical device intended for use in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte having an anti-microbial coating on its surface, comprising: a medical device formed of a substantially bioinert structural material; and an anti-microbial coating formed on the surface of the medical device, said coating being formed from one or more anti-microbial metals and having sufficient atomic disorder such that the coating, in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte, releases ions, atoms, molecules or clusters of the anti-microbial metal into the alcohol or water based electrolyte at a concentration sufficient to provide a localized anti-microbial effect on a sustainable basis, the atomic disorder providing irregularities in surface topography and inhomogeneities in structure on a nanometer scale and being caused by high concentrations of one or more of point defects in a crystal lattice, vacancies, and line defects comprising dislocations, interstitial atoms, amorphous regions, grain and sub grain boundaries, relative to a normal ordered, crystalline state for the anti-microbial metal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 163 words
A medical device intended for use in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte having an anti-microbial coating on its surface, comprising: a medical device formed of a substantially bioinert structural material; and an anti-microbial coating formed on the surface of the medical device, said coating being formed from one or more anti-microbial metals and having sufficient atomic disorder such that the coating, in contact with an alcohol or water based electrolyte, releases ions, atoms, molecules or clusters of the anti-microbial metal into the alcohol or water based electrolyte at a concentration sufficient to provide a localized anti-microbial effect on a sustainable basis, the atomic disorder providing irregularities in surface topography and inhomogeneities in structure on a nanometer scale and being caused by high concentrations of one or more of point defects in a crystal lattice, vacancies, and line defects comprising dislocations, interstitial atoms, amorphous regions, grain and sub grain boundaries, relative to a normal ordered, crystalline state for the anti-microbial metal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 64 words
The medical device as set forth in claim 24, wherein the atomic disorder is created in the coating under conditions which limit diffusion such that sufficient atomic disorder is retained in the coating to provide release of atoms, ions, molecules or clusters of the anti-microbial metal into the alcohol or water based electrolyte at an enhanced rate relative to its normal ordered crystalline state.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-10-27 2001-04-28 2001-10-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-10-27 2005-04-28 2005-10-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-10-27 2009-04-28 2009-10-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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