Patent ID: 7115143
Filing Date: 2006-10-03
Classification: A61F,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An orthopedic implant for contact with bone, including adjacent bones and bone portions, of a human skeleton, said implant comprising: leading end for introduction of said orthopedic implant into the bone, an opposite trailing end, spaced apart sides therebetween, and a mid-longitudinal axis passing through said leading and trailing ends; an exterior surface between said leading and trailing ends and said spaced apart sides, said exterior surface adapted for placement in engagement with the bone; and a plurality of surface projections formed on said exterior surface of said implant, said plurality of surface projections being adapted to engage bone, said plurality of surface projections including: at least a first and a second surface projection each having a first facet configuration with at least one forward facing facet directed at least in part toward said leading end and at least one rearward portion directed at least in part toward said trailing end, said forward facet and said rearward portion having a length and a slope, the length of said forward facet being longer than the length of said rearward portion, the slope of said rearward portion being steeper than the slope of said forward facet, said first and second surface projections each having a peak along a first line that is transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis of said implant; and at least a third and a fourth surface projection each having a second facet configuration with at least one forward facet directed at least in part toward the leading end and at least one rearward portion directed at least in part toward the trailing end, said forward facet and said rearward portion of said second facet configuration having a length and a slope, the length of said forward facet of said second facet configuration being longer than the length of said rearward portion of said second facet configuration, the slope of said rearward portion of said second facet configuration being steeper than the slope of said forward facet of said second facet configuration, said third and fourth surface projections each having a peak along a second line that is transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis and off-set from the first line transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, said second facet configuration of said third and fourth surface projections being different from said first facet configuration of said first and second surface projections.