CERAMIC BALL SOCKET INSERT HAVING AN INVERSE-CONICAL GUIDE PINS

Abstract

A hip joint prosthesis having a socket insert and a hip socket, a conical guide pin being situated on the pole of the socket Insert and a guide bore being situated at the base of the hip socket and the guide pin being located in the guide bore in the installed state of the socket insert in the hip socket.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A hip-joint prosthesis comprising: a socket insert having a pole and a hip socket, said hip socket having a base; a guide pin arranged on the pole of the socket insert; and an opening at the base of the hip socket; wherein in the installed state of the socket insert in the hip socket the guide pin is located in the opening; wherein the bucket insert consists of a ceramic material; wherein the guide pin is formed so that it tapers in an inverse-conical manner, wherein at the end facing the pole the diameter of the guide pin is smaller than at the end of the guide pin that faces away from the pole; wherein in the guide pin has rounded edges; and wherein that the opening is a guide bore.

11. A hip-joint prosthesis according to claim 10, wherein the guide bore is formed so that it tapers in an inverse-conical manner; and wherein at the end facing the interior or base of the hip socket the diameter of the guide bore is smaller than at the end of the guide bore that faces away from the interior.

12. A hip-joint prosthesis according to claim 10, wherein the guide bore is cylindrical.

13. A hip-joint prosthesis according to claim 10, wherein the guide bore comprises two sections, and wherein in the first section the guide bore is cylindrical and in the second section it is formed so that it tapers in an inverse-conical manner.

14. A hip-joint prosthesis according to claim 11, wherein the guide bore consists of two sections, and wherein in the first section the guide bore is cylindrical and in the second section it is formed so that it tapers in an inverse-conical manner.

15. A hip-joint prosthesis according to claim 13, wherein the first section is arranged at the end of the guide bore that faces the interior of the hip socket.

16. A hip-joint prosthesis according to claim 14, wherein the first section is arranged at the end of the guide bore that faces the interior of the hip socket.

17. A socket insert for a hip-joint prosthesis having a guide pin arranged at the pole for insertion into a corresponding guide bore in a hip socket; wherein the socket insert consists of a ceramic material, and the guide pin is formed so that it tapers in an inverse-conical manner; wherein at the end facing the pole the diameter of the guide pin is smaller than at the end of the guide pin that faces away from the pole; and wherein the guide pin has rounded edges.

18. A socket for a hip-joint prosthesis having an opening arranged at the base of the hip socket to receive a guide pin of a socket insert, wherein the opening is a conical guide bore, the guide bore is formed so that it tapers in an inverse-conical manner; and wherein at the end facing the interior of the hip socket the diameter of the guide bore is smaller than at the end of the guide bore that faces away from the interior.

19. A hip-joint prosthesis according to claim 10, wherein the guide pin has a roundedoff end region.

20. A socket insert according to claim 17, wherein the guide pin has a roundedoff end region.

21. A hip joint prosthesis having a socket insert and a hip socket, a conical guide pin being situated on the pole of the socket insert and a guide bore being situated at the base of the hip socket, and the guide pin being located in the guide bore in the installed state of the socket insert in the hip socket, wherein the guide pin has an inverse conically tapered design, the diameter of the guide pin at the end facing the pole being smaller than at the end of the guide pin facing away from the pole.

22. A hip joint prosthesis according to claim 21, wherein the guide bore has an inverse conically tapered design such that the diameter of the guide bore at the end facing the interior, is smaller than at the end of the guide bore facing away from the interior.

23. A hip joint prosthesis according to claim 21, wherein the guide bore has a cylindrical design.

24. A hip joint prosthesis according to claim 21, wherein the guide bore is composed of two sections wherein a first section of the guide bore is cylindrical and wherein a second section of the guide bore has an inverse conical tapered design.

25. A hip joint prosthesis according to claim 22, wherein the guide bore is composed of two sections wherein a first section of the guide bore is cylindrical and wherein a second section of the guide bore has an inverse conical tapered design.

26. A hip joint prosthesis according to claim 24, wherein the first section is situated at the end of the guide bore facing the interior of the hip socket.

27. A hip joint prosthesis according to claim 25, wherein the first section is situated at the end of the guide bore facing the interior of the hip socket.

28. A socket insert for a hip joint prosthesis, having a conical guide pin situated at the pole for insertion into a corresponding guide bore in a hip socket, wherein the guide pin has an inverse conically tapered design, the diameter of the guide pin at the end facing the pole being smaller than at the end of the guide pin facing away from the pole.

29. A hip socket for a hip joint prosthesis, having a conical guide bore situated at the base of the hip socket for accommodating a guide pin of a socket insert, wherein the guide bore has an inverse conically tapered design, the diameter of the guide bore at the end facing the interior of the hip socket being smaller than at the end of the guide bore facing away from the interior.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 depicts a hip prosthesis for replacement of the natural hip joint currently existing on the market.

[0014] FIG. 2a shows a view of a socket insert with a cylindrical guide pin.

[0015] FIG. 2b shows another view a socket insert with a cylindrical guide pin.

[0016] FIG. 2c shows a view of a socket insert with a conical guide pin.

[0017] FIG. 2d shows another view a socket insert with a conical guide pin.

[0018] FIG. 3a shows a view of a socket insert with an inverse conical pin.

[0019] FIG. 3b shows another view of a socket insert with an inverse conical pin.

[0020] FIG. 4 shows a socket insert with a cylindrical pin and rounded edges.

[0021] FIG. 5 shows a socket insert with an inverse conical pin and rounded edges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] As described, one embodiment according to the invention is characterized in that the guide bore has an inverse conically tapered design, the diameter of the guide bore at the end facing the interior, i.e., the base of the hip socket, being smaller than at the end of the guide bore facing away from the interior.

[0023] Another embodiment according to the invention is characterized in that the guide bore has a cylindrical design.

[0024] The guide bore may also preferably be composed of two sections, the guide bore being cylindrical in the first section and having an inverse conical tapered design in the second section.

[0025] The first section is advantageously situated at the end of the guide bore facing the interior of the hip socket.

[0026] A socket insert according to the invention for a hip joint prosthesis, having a conical guide pin situated at the pole for insertion into a corresponding guide bore in a hip socket, is characterized in that the guide pin has an inverse conically tapered design, the diameter of the guide pin at the end facing the pole being smaller than at the end of the guide pin facing away from the pole.

[0027] A hip socket according to the invention for a hip joint prosthesis, having a conical guide bore situated at the base of the hip socket for accommodating a guide pin of a socket insert, is characterized in that the guide bore has an inverse conically tapered design, the diameter of the guide bore at the end facing the interior of the hip socket being smaller than at the end of the guide bore facing away from the interior.

[0028] As a result of the designs according to the invention of the socket insert for a hip joint prosthesis which is provided with a guide pin having an inverse conically tapered design, tilted insertion of the socket insert into the hip socket is avoided due to the fact that guiding for the insertion motion of the socket insert starts at the beginning of the insertion process.

[0029] For a cylindrical guide bore, the small guide gap remains constant over the entire length of the guiding, whereas for an inverse conical guide bore the guide gap increases with increasing insertion depth of the socket insert. However, the resulting decrease in the guiding accuracy also corresponds to the likewise decreasing need for guiding, since the conical clamping increasingly achieves the guiding effect. FIGS. 3a, 3b show a socket insert 3 having an inverse conical pin 5 at the rear pole 7. The very small gap width s results in a high guiding effect with a low risk of tilting.

[0030] Another positive effect of the inverse conical shape of the pin 5 results when rounded radii are provided on the component. This is necessary when brittle materials are used, for example when the socket insert 3 is made of a ceramic material. In such a case, the edges 9 of the pin 5 must be rounded in order to reduce notch stresses and edge chipping.

[0031] Tolerance analyses of rounded radii on cylindrical or conical pins with regard to the maximum and minimum allowable rounded radius show that collisions sometimes occur with the borehole in the socket pole. These may be avoided only by limiting tolerances, or by reducing the pin diameter (see FIG. 4). Tolerance limitations generally increase the manufacturing costs. Reducing the pin diameter increases the gap width s and reduces the guiding effect of the pin 5 when the socket insert is inserted. FIG. 4 shows a socket insert having a cylindrical pin 5 and rounded edges 9. Tolerance analysis with regard to the maximum and minimum edge radius (dashed lines) shows a collision with the hip socket in the region of the through borehole having the largest radius.

[0032] For an inverse conical shape of the pin 5, the tapering of the pin results in an enlarged installation space at the end of the pin on the insertion side. For the same values, tolerance analyses of the edge rounding thus result in a greater distance from the through borehole or guide bore 6 in the hip socket 4. The guiding effect of the pin is maintained without the occurrence of undesired collisions between the components (see FIG. 5). FIG. 5 shows a socket insert having an inverse conical pin and rounded edges 9. Tolerance analysis with regard to the maximum and minimum edge radius (dashed lines) shows no collision with the hip socket. The “pin” and the “guide pin” are two separate terms which, however, denote the same subject matter.

[0033] The end region 10 of the guide pin 5 or pin facing away from the pole 7 is rounded; i.e., the inverse conically tapered guide pin 5 has a rounded end region 10 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). This simplifies, among other things, the insertion into the guide bore 6.