Patent ID: 7267693

Claim:
A locking ring, liner and acetabular cup combination for an artificial hip joint, comprising in combination: an acetabular cup having an exterior surface adapted to abut a hipbone and be held securely to the hip bone; said acetabular cup having a generally concave interior surface; said acetabular cup having an annular groove facing inward from said generally concave interior surface; a liner having an outside surface adapted to mate within said generally concave interior surface of said acetabular cup; said liner having a generally concave inside surface adapted to pivotably support a head of an artificial hip joint coupled to an upper end of a femur; said liner having an annular seat facing outward from said outside surface of said liner; a locking ring having a top side spaced from a bottom side by a ring thickness that is less than a thickness of said groove of said acetabular cup and less than a thickness of said seat of said liner; an outer side spaced from an inner side by a ring width; said outer side having an undeformed diameter sufficient to extend at least partially into said groove of said acetabular cup; said inner side having an undeformed diameter sufficient to extend at least partially into said seat of said liner; said ring width less than a difference between a diameter of said groove of said acetabular cup and a diameter of said seat of said liner; a break in said ring, such that enlarging said break expands said outer side diameter and said inner side diameter, and narrowing said break reduces said outer diameter and said inner diameter; a captured end adjacent said break and a free end adjacent said break; and wherein said acetabular cup includes a pin affixed thereto adjacent said groove, and wherein a slot is provided at said captured end adapted to reside over said pin of said acetabular cup when said ring is located within said groove of said acetabular cup and within said seat of said liner, such that said ring holds said liner within said acetabular cup.