Inventor · Salt Lake City, UT, US

Michael A. Vail

109Patents
30h-index
38Co-inventors
90Inventor score

Filing activity: Jan 30, 2000 → Feb 24, 2021

Most-cited inventions

PatentTitleAreaCited byStatus
US7866418B2 Rotary drill bit including polycrystalline diamond cutting elements Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 307 Active
US6793681B1 Prosthetic hip joint having a polycrystalline diamond articulation surface and a plurality of substrate layers Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 293 Expired
US6290726A Prosthetic hip joint having sintered polycrystalline diamond compact articulation surfaces Performing Operations; Transporting 269 Expired
US6488715B1 Diamond-surfaced cup for use in a prosthetic joint Performing Operations; Transporting 261 Expired
US6517583B1 Prosthetic hip joint having a polycrystalline diamond compact articulation surface and a counter bearing surface Performing Operations; Transporting 212 Expired
US7635035B1 Polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting element having multiple catalytic elements Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 154 Expired
US6610095B1 Prosthetic joint having substrate surface topographical featurers and at least one diamond articulation surface Performing Operations; Transporting 136 Expired
US7998573B2 Superabrasive compact including diamond-silicon carbide composite, methods of fabrication thereof, and applications therefor Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 115 Active
US6398815B1 Prosthetic joint having at least one superhard articulation surface Performing Operations; Transporting 113 Expired
US7077867B1 Prosthetic knee joint having at least one diamond articulation surface Performing Operations; Transporting 113 Expired
US7516804B2 Polycrystalline diamond element comprising ultra-dispersed diamond grain structures and applications utilizing same Chemistry; Metallurgy 111 Active
US6655845B1 Bearings, races and components thereof having diamond and other superhard surfaces Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating 98 Expired
US8297382B2 Polycrystalline diamond compacts, method of fabricating same, and various applications Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 90 Active
US7845438B1 Polycrystalline diamond compacts, methods of fabricating same, and applications using same Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating 81 Active
US8080071B1 Polycrystalline diamond compact, methods of fabricating same, and applications therefor Chemistry; Metallurgy 73 Active
US6596225B1 Methods for manufacturing a diamond prosthetic joint component Performing Operations; Transporting 70 Expired
US6800095B1 Diamond-surfaced femoral head for use in a prosthetic joint Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 55 Expired
US7172142B2 Nozzles, and components thereof and methods for making the same Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 54 Expired
US6676704B1 Prosthetic joint component having at least one sintered polycrystalline diamond compact articulation surface and substrate surface topographical features in said polycrystalline diamond compact Performing Operations; Transporting 53 Expired
US6709463B1 Prosthetic joint component having at least one solid polycrystalline diamond component Performing Operations; Transporting 53 Expired
US6514289B1 Diamond articulation surface for use in a prosthetic joint Performing Operations; Transporting 52 Expired
US9103172B1 Polycrystalline diamond compact including a pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table including a nonmetallic catalyst that limits infiltration of a metallic-catalyst infiltrant therein and applications therefor Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 47 Active
US6817550B2 Nozzles, and components thereof and methods for making the same Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies 45 Expired
US6497727B1 Component for use in prosthetic hip, the component having a polycrystalline diamond articulation surface and a plurality of substrate layers Performing Operations; Transporting 41 Expired
US6402787B1 Prosthetic hip joint having at least one sintered polycrystalline diamond compact articulation surface and substrate surface topographical features in said polycrystalline diamond compact Performing Operations; Transporting 38 Expired

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Inventor disambiguation is heuristic; counts are objective bibliographic measures.