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:
Jun. 13, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 24, 1997
Norman J Sharber, Flagstaff, AZ (US);
Kenneth W Moll, Camp Verde, AZ (US);
Karl E Schwarz, Flagstaff, AZ (US);
Clayton M Sparling, Flagstaff, AZ (US);
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Newark, DE (US);
Abstract
A carvable implant material for use in surgery and especially in plastic and reconstructive surgery. At least two layers of porous PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) sheet material are laminated together by an adhesive placed between the adjacent layers of porous PTFE sheet material. Alternatively, a plurality of discrete pieces of porous PTFE may be adhered together by an adhesive. The presence of the adhesive provides a significant increase in stiffness and hence in carvability beyond that possible in a single layer of porous PTFE without the adhesive. Preferred adhesives are thermoplastic fluoropolymers of lower crystalline melt temperature than PTFE, such as FEP or PFA.