Patent ID: 7905919

Claim:
A prosthetic joint having a central axis, comprising: (a) a bone-implantable first member comprising a rigid material and including a body having an annular flange extending outward from the body in a direction generally radial to the central axis at a first end of the body, where the flange and the body are parts of a monolithic whole, and where a thickness of the flange is substantially less than a thickness of the body, the first end of the body and the flange cooperatively defining a wear-resistant, concave first contact surface having a protruding rim and a recessed central portion; and (b) a bone-implantable second member comprising a rigid material with a wear-resistant, convex second contact surface; (c) where the first and second contact surfaces bear directly against each other so as to transfer axial and lateral loads from one of the members to the other, while allowing pivoting motion between the two members; and (d) wherein the flange is in contact with the second contact surface and is shaped and sized so as to deform elastically and permit the first contact surface to conform in an irregular shape to the second contact surface when the joint is placed under a predetermined load.