Method for manufacturing an orthopedic implant

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing an orthopedic implant. The method includes providing a blank adapted to be formed into an orthopedic implant, forging the blank to form an intermediate component, and bending the forged component to form a pre-finished component.

1 . A method for manufacturing an orthopedic implant, the method comprising:
 providing a blank adapted to be formed into the orthopedic implant;   forging said blank to form an intermediate component; and   bending said intermediate component to form a pre-finished component.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said intermediate component has a substantially planar shape. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pre-finished component has a shape substantially corresponding to said shape of the orthopedic implant. 
     
     
         4 . The method  claim 3 , further comprising at least one of the steps of: i) debarring said pre-finished component; ii) polishing said pre-finished component; and iii) cleaning said pre-finished component. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of forging said blank includes forming at least one depression in a first side of said blank, said depression forming a cement pocket in the orthopedic implant, and said first side serving as an anchoring side of the orthopedic implant arrangeable at a resection surface of a bone. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a shape and size of said depression in said intermediate component is different from a shape and size of said cement pocket in the orthopedic implant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of forming said depression further includes accounting for an effect of the step of bending said intermediate component on the shape and size of said depression. 
     
     
         8 . The method  claim 5 , wherein said step of forging said blank comprises a die forging operation. 
     
     
         9 . The method  claim 5 , wherein said step of bending said intermediate component comprises a die bending operation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of bending said intermediate component includes forming a substantially rounded anchoring side of said orthopedic implant, whereby said orthopaedic implant has a substantially uniform thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said blank comprises a pre-forged blank. 
     
     
         12 . The method  claim 1 , wherein said step of forging said blank comprises a die forging operation. 
     
     
         13 . The method  claim 1 , wherein said step of bending said intermediate component comprises a die bending operation. 
     
     
         14 . The method  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the steps of: i) debarring said pre-finished component; ii) polishing said pre-finished component; and iii) cleaning said pre-finished component. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said blank and the orthopedic implant is formed from at least one of titanium and titanium alloy. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the orthopedic implant is a femoral component of a knee joint prosthesis. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said femoral component comprises a resurfacing femoral component.