Patent ID: 7040177

Claim:
An apparatus for testing an implant having first and second components coupled together by an articulating ball and socket joint comprising: a support structure in contact with the first component of said implant for supporting said implant; an adapter coupled to the second component of said implant, said adapter having a semispherical surface facing away from said support structure; a load assembly coupled with said adapter for applying a load onto the semispherical surface of said adapter; and a drive assembly coupled with said adapter, said drive assembly comprising a first drive shaft having a first end connected with a center of a rotatable wheel, said first drive shaft being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof for causing rotation of said wheel, a second drive shaft having a first end connected with an outer region of said wheel and a second end connected to said adapter, said second drive shaft having a longitudinal axis that is at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said first drive shaft, wherein rotation of said first shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof causes articulating movement of said adapter, which in turn causes articulating movement of the first and second components of said implant about the ball and socket joint of said implant.