Acetabular Cup Porous Composite Structure for Stable Inlay Coupling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing acetabular cups face challenges in achieving uniform seating and impaction behavior across different sizes, with deformation of the outer cup section potentially affecting the inner cup section and compromising the precision of the inlay coupling.

Innovation Solution

A one-piece acetabular cup design with a radially inner solid section in an L-shaped configuration at the lower end, featuring a porous structure that is integrally connected to a radially outer porous section, allowing for resilient properties without spring elements, ensuring minimal deformation transfer to the inner section.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the outer cup section is made resilient with spring elements, then the cup can adapt to the acetabulum and improve seating behavior, but the complexity of the device increases and the precision of the inlay coupling may be compromised due to deformation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseating behaviorVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The outer cup section incorporates a porous structure that provides resilience and adaptability to the acetabulum without requiring separate spring elements. The porous material itself exhibits elastic properties that allow the cup to conform to the bone surface while maintaining structural integrity and avoiding the need for additional complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The cup is constructed as an integrally formed composite structure combining the porous outer section with a solid inner section. This composite design allows the outer resilient portion to adapt to the acetabulum while the inner solid portion maintains dimensional stability and precision for the inlay coupling, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of operation

If the outer cup section is made resilient, then the cup can improve impaction behavior and seating, but deformation of the outer section may be transmitted to the inner section, compromising the precision of the inlay coupling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpaction behaviorVSAvoidinlay coupling precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cup is segmented into two distinct functional sections: an outer porous resilient section that handles impaction and seating adaptation, and an inner solid section that maintains dimensional stability. The integral formation with a defined interface between these sections prevents deformation transmission from the outer to the inner section, allowing each to perform its specialized function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The integrally formed composite structure with the porous outer section and solid inner section creates a natural deformation barrier at their interface. The solid inner section acts as a stable foundation that does not deform during impaction, thereby protecting the inlay coupling precision while the porous outer section provides the necessary resilience for improved impaction behavior.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If spring elements are used to create resilience in the radial direction, then the cup can adhere to the acetabulum, but the device complexity increases and the manufacturing process becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion to acetabulumVSAvoidmanufacturing process
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The porous structure of the outer cup section inherently provides the resilient properties that would otherwise require spring elements. This porous material can be manufactured using additive manufacturing or other suitable processes in a single integrated operation, eliminating the need for separate spring components and their associated assembly steps, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining adhesion strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient function that would traditionally require separate spring elements is merged directly into the cup structure itself through the porous outer section. This integration eliminates additional components and assembly operations, making the manufacturing process simpler while achieving the same adhesion effect through the inherent elasticity of the porous material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design provides improved seating and impaction behavior by maintaining dimensional stability of the inner cup section, reducing deformation transmission, and allowing for consistent stiffness across various sizes, thereby enhancing the precision of inlay coupling and bone integration.

Implementation Method 1

the outer socket portion is designed to be resilient relative to the inner socket portion in a radial direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The secondary stability of the acetabulum is achieved after 6 to 12 weeks by the ingrowth of bone into the rough surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBone ingrowth:

Data Source

PatentEP4011333B1Acetabular cup for a hip joint endoprosthesis
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 ARTIQO GMBH
  • EP4011333B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4011333B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4011333B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a hip socket (1) of a hip joint endoprosthesis, comprising an outer and an inner socket section (2, 4), wherein at least over a surface section (6) of the hip socket (1) the outer socket section (2) is designed to be spring-elastic relative to the inner socket section (4) in a radial direction (r), wherein the hip socket (1) has an upper pole (P) and a lower end (E) facing away from the pole (P), wherein the spring elasticity is formed by a wall section (7) of the outer socket section (2) which extends to a wall section (8) of the inner socket section (4) forming a cavity (9) at a radial distance (a). In order to further develop such a hip socket so that it provides a further improved uniform insertion orThe invention provides that the cavity (9) has impact behavior and shape stability of the concave inner acetabular section over the entire size range used, and that the cavity (9) completely surrounds the circumference of the acetabular cup (1) and is open in the region of the lower end (E), wherein the outer acetabular section (2) and the inner acetabular section (4) as well as the wall section (7) of the outer acetabular section (2) and the wall section (8) of the inner acetabular section (4) are formed integrally together and wherein the cavity (9) is free of spring elements.