What is claimed is:
1. Prosthetic element comprising a first and a second principal components intended to be assembled together and immobilized with respect to each other by means of a screw,
wherein said screw is adapted to be screwed by means of at least one thread in two tappings which are respectively fast or intended to be rendered fast with one and the other principal components, said screw comprises at least one radial element in relief adapted to come into abutment against a stop surface fast with said first component, and a non-threaded end forming guide finger and adapted to slide in a housing made in said second component.
2. The prosthetic element of claim 1, wherein said element in relief is formed by a radial flange made on said screw between said two threads.
3. The prosthetic element of claim 1, wherein said stop surface is annular and surrounds said screw.
4. The prosthetic element of claim 3, wherein said stop surface is formed by a face of a ring surrounding said screw, said ring being rigidly connected to a bush screwed in said first component.
5. The prosthetic element of claim 1, wherein said first and second principal components are respectively provided with truncated bearing surfaces, said screw being adapted to apply, by its screwing, said surfaces against each other.
6. The prosthetic element of claim 5, wherein said truncated bearing surfaces are respectively centred on a central axis of said screw, when the latter is screwed in said first component, and on a central axis of said housing for slide of said centering finger.
7. The prosthetic element of claim 1, wherein the tapping which is fast or intended to be rendered fast with said second component is formed in said housing, towards an inlet zone of said screw.
8. The prosthetic element of claim 1, wherein said first component forms a convex articular surface and defines a volume in which said screw may be mounted and said second component engaged, at least partially.
9. The prosthetic element of claim 1, wherein said housing for slide of said guide finger is made in a shank for anchoring said second component in a bone.
10. The prosthetic element of claim 1, wherein said screw is provided with two threads adapted to cooperate successively with two tappings respectively fast with one and the other principal components.
11. The prosthetic element of claim 1, wherein said screw is provided with a single thread adapted to cooperate successively with two tappings fast or intended to be rendered fast respectively with one and with the other principal components.
12. Use of a prosthetic element of claim 1, for producing the glenoid part of a total shoulder prosthesis.
13. Process for assembling a prosthetic element comprising two principal components and a screw,
wherein it comprises the steps consisting in:
immobilizing said screw with respect to a first principal component by screwing said screw in a first tapping fast or intended to be rendered fast with said first principal component, a surface forming stop, at a distance from said screw with respect to said first component, being arranged around said screw after or before this immobilization;
covering with a housing made on said second component, a free end of said screw projecting with respect to said first component;
pushing said first and second components towards each other, causing said end of said screw to slide in said housing;
unscrewing said screw with respect to said first tapping, and
screwing said screw in a second tapping made in said second component, exerting on said stop surface an effort of approach of said first and second components.
14. Process for assembling of a prosthetic element comprising two principal components and a screw,
wherein it comprises the steps consisting in:
immobilizing said screw with respect to a first principal component by screwing said screw in a first tapping fast or intended to be rendered fast with said first principal component, a surface forming stop at a distance from said screw with respect to said first component being disposed around said screw after or before this immobilization;
covering, with a housing made on said second component, a free end of said screw projecting with respect to said first component,
impacting one of said principal components in the direction of the other so as to bring them closer, causing said free end to slide in said housing, until said components are brought into contact with each other;
unscrewing said screw with respect to said first tapping, and
screwing said screw in a second tapping made in said second component until an effort of relative immobilization of said components is obtained in their position in contact, said effort being exerted on said stop surface.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of preparing a spherical pellet, comprising:
providing a pellet forming medium that comprises an active ingredient and a carrier, the carrier comprising a solid material that melts upon heating and encapsulates said active ingredient upon solidification;
providing a column;
melting the pellet forming medium to form a liquid pellet forming medium;
introducing the liquid pellet forming medium into a column liquid that is housed in a column, with the column liquid being maintained at a first temperature throughout a first length of the column and being maintained at a second temperature throughout a second length of the column, the pellet forming medium being at least partially miscible with the column liquid;
cooling the pellet forming medium in the first and second temperatures so that the pellet forming medium solidifies and forms pellets; and
separating the pellets from the column liquid.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pellet forming medium is introduced drop wise into the column liquid.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the column liquid is inert to the pellet forming medium and the pellets.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein column liquid is introduced at an inlet port, and removed at an outlet port, and produces a column liquid current across a portion of the column that acts on the pellet forming medium as it travels a length of the column.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the introducing step comprises introducing the pellet forming medium into the column liquid through an orifice.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the orifice is a nozzle.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the orifice is downstream from the column liquid injection port.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pellet forming medium comprises at least one of a:
hydrophilic solid selected from the group comprising polyethylene glycols(PEGs), polyethylene oxide (PEOs), povidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol, sugars, water soluble polyoxyethylene derivatives, polyethylene-propylene glycol copolymers(poloxamers), PEG derivatives, PEO derivatives, PEG-PEO derivatives or combinations thereof; andor a
hydrophobic solid selected from the group comprising glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl palmitostearate, glyceryl dibehenate, cetostearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, cholesterol, hydrogenated vegetable oils, phospholipids and its derivatives, lanolin, lecithin, triglycerides, long chain fatty acidshydrocarbons, hard fat, oil soluble Brijs, Cocoa butter, waxes or combinations thereof.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the column liquid comprises at least one of silicone oil, mineral oil, fixedvegetable oils, fluorocarbon fluids, aliphatic long chain hydrocarbons.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the column liquid comprises at least one of a liquid polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, propylene carbonate, glycofural, glycerin, ethyl alcohol, water.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid pellet forming medium comprises an active ingredient.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the active ingredient is a pharmaceutical.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the active ingredient is a fertilizer.
14. An apparatus for producing pellets from a liquid pellet composition, comprising:
a housing that comprises a liquid pellet forming medium that has at least one active ingredient and molten carrier that encapsulates said active ingredient upon solidification;
an elongated column for housing column liquid;
a column liquid, the column liquid being at least partially miscible with the liquid pellet forming medium;
a first temperature controlling element engaging the column and capable of maintaining a first temperature in the column liquid, the first temperature being abovebelow the solidification temperature of the liquid pellet composition;
a second temperature controlling element engaging the column and capable of maintaining a second temperature in the column liquid, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature;
an injection orifice to introduce the liquid pellet composition to the column liquid; and
a collection device for removing pellets from the apparatus.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the temperature controlling element is a temperature controlling jacket.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the temperature controlling element is a coil that engages the column.
17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the column liquid comprises at least one of silicone oil, mineral oil, fixedvegetable oils, fluorocarbons, aliphatic long chain hydrocarbons, liquid polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, propylene carbonate, glycofural, glycerin, ethyl alcohol, water.
18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an injection port for injecting column liquid into the column, and a exit port downstream of the injection port, producing a downstream flow for a length of the column in the direction of pellet composition travel.
19. An apparatus for producing pellets from a liquid pellet composition, comprising:
a housing that comprises a liquid pellet forming medium that has at least one active ingredient and molten carrier that encapsulates said active ingredient upon solidification;
a column liquid, the column liquid being at least partially miscible with the liquid pellet forming medium;
an elongated column for housing column liquid, and comprises a column liquid inlet and a column liquid outlet, which together produce a column liquid flow from the inlet to the outlet;
a first temperature controlling element engaging the column and capable of maintaining a first temperature in the column liquid, the first temperature being abovebelow a solidification temperature of the liquid pellet composition;
an injection orifice to introduce the liquid pellet composition to the column liquid for travel along the column liquid flow, the nozzle being downstream of the column liquid inlet and upstream of the column liquid outlet such that the column liquid flows past the injection nozzle; and
a collection device for removing pellets from the apparatus.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cooling element is a cooling jacket.
21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cooling element is a coil that engages the column.
22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the column liquid comprises at least one of silicone oil, mineral oil, fixedvegetable oils, aliphatic long chain hydrocarbons, liquid polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, propylene carbonate, glycofural, glycerin, ethyl alcohol, water, fluorocarbon fluids.
23. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a stirrer in said housing that engages and mixes the liquid pellet forming medium.
24. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a pump to deliver the liquid pellet forming medium to the elongated column.
25. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the injection orifice to introduce the liquid pellet composition to the column liquid is above the surface of the column liquid.
26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the injection orifice is located downstream on the injection port.
27. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the column liquid is stationary.
28. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a stirrer in said housing that engages and mixes the liquid pellet forming medium.
29. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a pump to deliver the liquid pellet forming medium to the elongated column.
30. The process of claim 1, wherein the melting point of the pellet forming medium is less than about 100 degrees Celsius.
31. The process of claim 1, wherein the pellet forming medium further comprises an excipient.
32. The process of claim 31, wherein the excipient is a release-retarding polymer.
33. An apparatus for producing pellets from a liquid pellet composition, comprising:
a housing that comprises (i) a liquid pellet forming medium that has at least one active ingredient and molten carrier that encapsulates said active ingredient upon solidification, and (ii) a stirrer in said housing that engages and mixes the liquid pellet forming medium;
an elongated column for housing column liquid;
a column liquid;
a first temperature controlling element engaging the column and capable of maintaining a first temperature in the column liquid, the first temperature being abovebelow the solidification temperature of the liquid pellet composition;
a second temperature controlling element engaging the column and capable of maintaining a second temperature in the column liquid, the second temperature being lower than the first temperature;
an injection orifice to introduce the liquid pellet composition to the column liquid; and
a collection device for removing pellets from the apparatus.