Cold Forged Cutting Tip for Orthopedic Wires and Pins

Abstract

Provided are orthopedic wires and pins with a cold forged tip for use with External Bone Fixation (EBF) devices. Orthopedic wires includes a length of wire or bar stock and a cutting tip on an end of the length of the wire or bar stock, the cutting tip comprising a cold forged section, wherein a width of the cold forged section conforms to a diameter of the wire or bar stock; and a first plurality of cutting edges in the cold forged section. Also provided are techniques for the manufacture of orthopedic wires and pins.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An orthopedic wire for use in conjunction with an external hone fixation device, comprising:
 a length of wire; and   a cutting tip on an end of the length of wire, the cutting tip comprising:
 a cold forged section, wherein a width of the cold forged section conforms to a diameter of the length of wire; and 
 a first plurality of cutting edges in the cold forged section. 
   
     
     
         2 . The orthopedic wire of  claim 1 , wherein the length of wire is less than six hundred millimeters (600 mm). 
     
     
         3 . The orthopedic wire of  claim 1 , wherein each cutting edge of the first plurality of cutting edges comprises a corresponding relief angle at a tip end of the respective cutting edge. 
     
     
         4 . The orthopedic wire of  claim 1 , further comprising a second plurality of cutting edges, each cutting edge of the second plurality of cutting edges in a corresponding cutting edge of the first plurality of cutting edges. 
     
     
         5 . The orthopedic wire of  claim 4 , wherein each cutting edge of the second plurality of cutting edges comprises a corresponding gash. 
     
     
         6 . The orthopedic wire of  claim 4 , wherein each cutting edge of the second plurality of cutting edges comprises a corresponding relief angle at a tip end of the respective cutting edge. 
     
     
         7 . The orthopedic wire of  claim 1 , further comprising a cutting point at the end of the orthopedic wire. 
     
     
         8 . An orthopedic pin for use in conjunction with an external bone fixation device, comprising:
 a length of bar stock; and   a cutting tip on an end of the length of bar stock, the cutting tip comprising:
 a cold forged section, wherein a width of the cold forged section conforms to a diameter of the length of the bar stock; and 
 a first plurality of cutting edges in the cold forged section. 
   
     
     
         9 . The orthopedic pin of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the pin is less than six hundred millimeters (600 mm). 
     
     
         10 . The orthopedic pin of  claim 8 , wherein each cutting edge of the first plurality of cutting edges comprises a corresponding relief angle at a tip end of the respective cutting edge. 
     
     
         11 . The orthopedic pin of  claim 8 , further comprising a second plurality of cutting edges, each cutting edge of the second plurality of cutting edges in a corresponding cutting edge of the first plurality of cutting edges. 
     
     
         12 . The orthopedic pin of  claim 11 , wherein each cutting edge of the second plurality of cutting edges comprises a corresponding gash. 
     
     
         13 . The orthopedic pin of  claim 11 , wherein each cutting edge of the second plurality of cutting edges comprises a corresponding relief angle at a tip end of the respective cutting edge. 
     
     
         14 . The orthopedic pin of  claim 8 , further comprising a cutting point at the end of the orthopedic pin.