Patent ID: 7922722

Claim:
A method for forming a reamer, comprising the steps of: a) forming a blank having a hemispherical shape defining a spherical center and having a curvature comprising at least a portion of a first hemisphere extending from an apex to a lower edge, the hemispherically shaped blank being rotatable about a longitudinal axis; b) cutting an opening in the blank; c) forming a cutting tooth in the blank directly opposite the opening in an orientation of intended rotation of the reamer during cutting, i) wherein the cutting tooth comprises two buttress portions extending from the blank and meeting an intermediate cutting edge having a hemispherical cutting edge curvature as a line segment of a second hemisphere, wherein the line segment comprises a continuum of cutting edge radii, each radii originating at the spherical center with the second hemisphere being greater than the first hemisphere of the hemispherically shaped blank and wherein the cutting tooth is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and ii) wherein the opening comprises a first straight edge directly opposite the cutting edge, the first straight edge having a length extending to opposed ends thereof meeting second and third edge portions of the opening with the second and third edge portions in turn being directly connected to the respective buttress portions of the cutting tooth; and d) repeating steps b) and c) until a plurality of cutting teeth directly opposite respective openings are cut into the blank.