The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 13, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 24, 1995
James A Davidson, Collierville, TN (US);
Kenneth P Daigle, Olive Branch, MS (US);
Smith & Nephew, Inc., Memphis, TN (US);
Abstract
An annuloplasty ring fabricated from a component of a low elastic modulus metal coated with blue to black zirconium oxide or yellow to orange zirconium nitride. The coating provides enhanced thrombogenicity, biocompatibility, hemocompatibility, corrosion-resistance, friction and microfretting resistance, durability, and electrical insulation. The coatings can be applied to the underlying low modulus metallic components by physical or chemical vapor deposition as well as other ion-beam assisted methods. Preferably, however, for optimizing attachment strength, the annuloplasty ring components are fabricated from zirconium or zirconium-containing alloys and the coatings are formed by oxidizing or nitriding through an in situ method.