Patently Speaking highlights the technological achievements of Fort Wayne area residents.
Pavement profiler
•U.S. Patent No. 7,748,789
•Invented by: Charles W. Freeburn, Fremont
Road construction is possibly one of the least favorite subjects for commuters this time of year. Anyone who regularly travels Lima Road north of downtown knows exactly what I mean.
A “pavement profiler” is a large machine that grinds paved roads flat. This grinder takes out bumps and other irregularities from the pavement, leaving behind a smooth surface.
This patent describes a surface grinder with a large cylindrical drum that has cutting teeth on its surface to grind down the concrete. What makes it different from other grinders is it includes a new positioning mechanism that adjusts the drum relative to the pavement surface depending on how much grinding is needed.
Porous titanium modular revision patella system
•U.S. Patent No. 7,691,149
•Invented by: Mark A. Bollinger, Fort Wayne; Audra C. Watson, Fort Wayne; David R. Brown, Warsaw; and Brian M. May, Warsaw
•Assigned to Biomet Manufacturing Corp., Warsaw
In earlier editions of this column, we have looked at different prosthetic knee joints. These patents often focused on the ends of the femur and tibia that engage to make the knee joint.
This patent focuses on another part of the knee joint called the patella – more commonly known as the kneecap. This bone is generally flat and sits in front of the knee joint. The patella is held in place by tendons of the quadriceps and serves to protect the knee joint.
According to this patent, replacement patellas have existed for a long time and are typically made of a polyethylene plastic. This type of material produces a smooth surface like that of natural bone, but it is apparently not conducive to bone or tissue ingrowth. A rougher, porous surface is better for that.
The new patellar implant described in this patent is split into two halves that snap together using a lock ring. One half is made of polyethylene for its smooth surface, and the other half is made of a porous metal, such as titanium. This combination provides both the smooth and rough surfaces needed for the implant.
The preceding are lay descriptions of patents obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s public records and are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing contained herein is a legal description of any claimed invention, identification of novelty, or offer of legal advice.
Because issued patents are based on applications often filed years earlier, the subject matter of some patents may have been available on the market for some time prior to the issuance of the patent. Additional information on these patents is available at www.uspto.gov.
