1. A prosthesis for replacing a knee joint between a femur and a tibia, the prosthesis comprising:
a femoral component including a first condylar portion, a second condylar portion and an intercondylar portion having a first sidewall and a second sidewall;
a tibial component having a bone engaging inferior surface and a bearing engaging superior surface;
a bearing having an inferior surface that fixedly engages the bearing engaging superior surface of the tibial component and a superior femoral engaging surface; and
a yoke assembly having a yoke disposed between the bearing and the femoral component and an axle having an axle axis and that hingedly couples the yoke with the femoral component, wherein rotation of the femoral component about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the axle axis causes concurrent rotation of the yoke about the rotation axis while the first and second condylar portions rotate along the superior femoral engaging surface of the bearing.
2. The prosthesis system of claim 1 wherein rotation of the yoke is limited to a fixed angle of rotation.
3. The prosthesis system of claim 2 wherein the fixed angle is substantially about twenty degrees.
4. The prosthesis system of claim 2 wherein the bearing defines a pocket having at least one wall, wherein the yoke at least partially nests in the pocket.
5. The prosthesis system of claim 4 wherein the yoke engages the at least one wall thereby limiting further rotation.
6. The prosthesis system of claim 4, further comprising a bearing support that is fixed to the bearing and includes a shaft that extends out of the bearing at the pocket.
7. The prosthesis system of claim 6 wherein the shaft is threadably coupled to a coupling nut within the yoke.
8. The prosthesis system of claim 7 wherein the coupling nut engages a surface of the yoke to preclude lift-off of the yoke away from the bearing.
9. The prosthesis system of claim 8 wherein the bearing support is formed of biocompatible metal and is molded into the bearing.
10. A prosthesis for replacing a knee joint between a femur and a tibia, the prosthesis comprising:
a femoral component including a first condylar portion, a second condylar portion and an intercondylar portion having a first sidewall and a second sidewall;
a tibial component having a bone engaging inferior surface and a bearing engaging superior surface;
a bearing having an inferior surface that fixedly engages the bearing engaging superior surface of the tibial component and a superior femoral engaging surface, the bearing further having sidewalls that define a pocket on the superior femoral engaging surface; and
a yoke assembly having a yoke disposed between the bearing and the femoral component and an axle having an axle axis and that hingedly couples the yoke with the femoral component, wherein rotation of the femoral component about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the axle axis causes concurrent rotation of the yoke about the rotation axis while the first and second condylar portions rotate along the superior femoral engaging surface of the bearing wherein the yoke is bound by and engages the sidewalls of the bearing at a maximum rotation.
11. The prosthesis of claim 10 wherein rotation of the yoke around the rotation axis is limited to a fixed angle of rotation.
12. The prosthesis of claim 11 wherein the fixed angle is substantially about twenty degrees.
13. The prosthesis of claim 11 wherein the yoke at least partially nests in the pocket.
14. The prosthesis of claim 13, further comprising a bearing support that is fixed to the bearing and includes a shaft that extends out of the bearing at the pocket.
15. The prosthesis of claim 14 wherein the shaft is threadably coupled to a coupling nut within the yoke.
16. The prosthesis of claim 15 wherein the coupling nut engages a surface of the yoke to preclude lift-off of the yoke away from the bearing.
17. The prosthesis of claim 16 wherein the bearing support is formed of biocompatible metal and is molded into the bearing.
18. A prosthesis for replacing a knee joint between a femur and a tibia, the prosthesis comprising:
a femoral component including a first condylar portion, a second condylar portion and an intercondylar portion having a first sidewall and a second sidewall;
a tibial component having a bone engaging inferior surface and a bearing engaging superior surface;
a bearing having an inferior surface that fixedly engages the bearing engaging superior surface of the tibial component and a superior femoral engaging surface;
a yoke assembly having a yoke, a fastener, an axle having an axle axis and a yoke base, the yoke comprising at least two arms extending therefrom, the yoke base having a body portion that defines a receiving portion, wherein the fastener is configured to be advanced into the yoke causing the at least two arms to radially expand and fixedly engage the yoke base at the receiving portion, wherein the yoke and yoke base are configured to collectively rotate about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the axle axis relative to the tibial component.
19. The prosthesis of claim 18 wherein the bearing defines insets thereon that rotationally bound corresponding tabs extending from the yoke base, wherein maximum rotation of the yoke and yoke base is attained when the tabs engage corresponding surfaces on the bearing at the insets.
20. The prosthesis of claim 18, further comprising a hyperextension stop disposed between the femoral component and the yoke.
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. An electronic system, comprising:
a first integrated-circuit chip having an electrical connection front side and a back side;
a second integrated-circuit chip;
a first substrate wafer which extends between the first and second integrated-circuit chips, said electrical connection front side of the first integrated-circuit chip being mounted to a surface of said first substrate wafer;
a second substrate wafer placed facing the back side of the first integrated-circuit chip; and
a layer of thermally conductive adhesive interposed between the back side of first integrated-circuit chip and a surface of the second substrate wafer.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first integrated-circuit chip and the first substrate wafer form a first electronic device including a first electrical connection network within the first substrate wafer, and wherein the second integrated-circuit chip and a third substrate wafer form a second electronic device including a second electrical connection network within the third substrate wafer.
3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:
first electrical connection elements interposed between the first electronic device and the second electronic device and electrically connecting the first electrical connection network and the second electrical connection network.
4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a third electronic device comprising the second substrate wafer provided with a third electrical connection network.
5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:
second electrical connection elements interposed between the first electronic device and the third electronic device and electrically connecting the first electrical connection network and the third electrical connection network.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the third electronic device further comprises external electrical connection pads arranged on a face of the third substrate wafer opposite the first integrated-circuit device.
7. The system of claim 4, wherein the thermal adhesive layer mounts the back side of the first integrated-circuit chip in thermal contact to the surface of the second substrate wafer.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second substrate wafer comprises metal vias extending through the second substrate wafer from the surface of which is in thermal contact with the first integrated-circuit chip.
9. The system of claim 5, wherein the second electrical connection elements comprise: a further substrate wafer provided with a further electrical connection network electrically connecting the first electrical connection network and the third electrical connection network.
10. An electronic system, comprising:
a first electronic device comprising a first substrate wafer provided with a first electrical connection network and carrying, below one surface thereof, a first integrated-circuit chip that is electrically connected to the first electrical connection network;
a second electronic device comprising a second substrate wafer provided with a second electrical connection network and carrying a second integrated-circuit chip electrically connected to the second electrical connection network;
a third electronic device comprising a third substrate wafer provided with a third electrical connection network;
wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device are placed above one another in a position such that both the first substrate wafer and the second substrate wafer extend between the first integrated-circuit chip and the second integrated-circuit chip;
wherein the third substrate wafer is placed such that the first integrated circuit chip is between the first substrate wafer and the third substrate wafer;
first electrical connection elements interposed between the first electronic device and the second electronic device and electrically connecting the first electrical connection network and the second electrical connection network;
second electrical connection elements interposed between the first electronic device and the third substrate wafer and electrically connecting the first electrical connection network and the third electrical connection network; and
wherein the third electrical connection network comprises external electrical connection pads arranged on a face of the third substrate wafer opposite the first integrated-circuit device.
11. The system according to claim 10, wherein a layer of a thermally conductive material is interposed between the first integrated-circuit chip and the third substrate wafer.
12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the second electrical connection elements, interposed between the first electronic device and the third substrate, comprise: a further substrate wafer provided with a further electrical connection network electrically connecting the first electrical connection network and the third electrical connection network.
13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the substrate wafer of the third electronic device comprises metal vias located in the region of the chip of the first electronic device.
14. A system, comprising:
a first electronic device comprising a first substrate wafer provided with a first electrical connection network and carrying, below one surface thereof, a first integrated-circuit chip that is electrically connected to the first electrical connection network;
a second electronic device comprising a second substrate wafer provided with a second electrical connection network;
wherein a surface of the second substrate wafer is in thermal contact with said first integrated-circuit chip;
electrical connection elements interposed between the first electronic device and the second substrate wafer and electrically connecting the first electrical connection network and the second electrical connection network;
wherein the second electrical connection network comprises external electrical connection pads arranged on a face of the second substrate wafer opposite the first integrated-circuit device.
15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a thermal adhesive coupling the first integrated-circuit chip to the surface of the second substrate wafer.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the electrical connection elements, interposed between the first electronic device and the second substrate wafer, comprise: a further substrate wafer provided with a further electrical connection network electrically connecting the first electrical connection network and the second electrical connection network.
17. The system of claim 14, wherein the second substrate wafer comprises metal vias extending through the second substrate wafer from the surface of the second substrate wafer which is in thermal contact with the first integrated-circuit chip.