EP0428253A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for heat tipping sutures
Assignee: United States Surgical Corp
•
Filing: 1990-09-18
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-09-18
Abstract
Abstract A heat tipping method and apparatus for surgical sutures (13,20) to facilitate inserting the sutures (13) into the barrel ends (15) of surgical needles (11). The method comprises tensioning the suture (20), heating a portion (20a) of the suture (20) to be heat stipped by blowing a current of hot air (31,37) across the portion (20a) of the suture (20), and releasing the tension and cutting (51) the portion (20a) of the suture (20) to create heat tipped ends (20b,20c). The apparatus comprises a cylindrical drum (21) around which the suture (20) is wound, a concave channel (22) in the drum (21) for delimiting a portion (20a) of the suture (20) to be heated, and hot air blowers (37) for heating the delimited portions (20a) of the suture (20) to a heat tipping temperature.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael P. Chesterfield
- 👤 Stanley J. Malinowski
- 👤 George R. Proto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 23:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/06; A61B17/06195; A61B17/06004; A61B17/06166; A61L; A61L17/00; A61L17/14; A61B2017/06019; A61B2017/06028; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S604/00; Y10S604/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for heat tipping a surgical suture comprising: a) delimiting a portion of the suture to be heat tipped; b) heating said delimited portion of said suture to a heat tipping temperature and maintaining said temperature for a period of time, said heat tipping temperature being such as to cause said portion of said suture to be reversibly stiffened upon being permitted to cool.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for heat tipping a surgical suture comprising: a) delimiting a portion of the suture to be heat tipped; b) heating said delimited portion of said suture to a heat tipping temperature and maintaining said temperature for a period of time, said heat tipping temperature being such as to cause said portion of said suture to be reversibly stiffened upon being permitted to cool.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said delimiting comprises winding said suture around a drum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 2 further comprising applying tension to said suture before heating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said tension is applied by means for adjusting the effective circumference of the drum.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
24 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said heat tipping temperature is from about 149°C (300°F) to about 160°C (320°F).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein heating a portion of said suture comprises blowing a current of heated air across said suture.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
34 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising blowing a stream of relatively cool air across the non-delimited portion of said suture to prevent said non-delimited portion from being heated.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
25 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said period of time is determined in accordance with the diameter of said suture.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
19 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims additionally comprising cutting the heated portion of said suture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus for heat tipping a suture which comprises: a) a cylindrical drum; b) means associated with said drum for delimiting a portion of said suture to be heat tipped; c) means for heating said delimited portion of said suture to a heat tipping temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus for heat tipping a suture which comprises: a) a cylindrical drum; b) means associated with said drum for delimiting a portion of said suture to be heat tipped; c) means for heating said delimited portion of said suture to a heat tipping temperature.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means associated with said drum for delimiting a portion of the suture to be heat tipped comprises a concave channel extending longitudinally parallel to the axis of the drum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 11 wherein the means for heating the delimited portion of the suture to a heat tipping temperature comprises hot air outlet means for blowing air at a heat tipping temperature across the delimited portions of the suture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, 11 or 12 comprising means for applying tension to the suture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13 further comprising means for cutting said heated portion of said suture so as to divide said portion into two heat tipped ends.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for cutting comprises a knife which is transversely movable across the heat tipped portion of the suture.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 15 further comprising means to prevent said non-delimited portion of the suture from being heat tipped.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said means to prevent the non-delimited portion of the suture from being heat tipped comprises at least one row of cool air outlets for blowing relatively cool air across the non-delimited portion of the suture.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 17 wherein said cylindrical drum has means for adjusting the drum circumference relative to suture.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein said means for adjusting said drum circumference comprises an elongated member mounted within a longitudinal notch in surface of the drum, and said elongated member being radially movable between a first position whereby said elongated member extends a relatively further distance beyond the circumferential surface of the drum, and a second position whereby said elongated member extends a relatively lesser distance beyond the circumferential surface of said drum.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 25 wherein said second position of said elongated member does not extend beyond the circumferential surface of said drum.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for heat tipping a surgical suture comprising: a) selecting a predetermined portion of the suture; b) heating said selected portion of said suture to a predetermined temperature sufficient to cause said portion of said suture to be reversibly stiffened when said heat is maintainted for a predetermined period of time and said selected portion of said suture is permitted to cool; c) maintaining said temperature for said predetermined period of time; and d) permitting said selected portion of said suture to be cooled.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for heat tipping a surgical suture comprising: a) selecting a predetermined portion of the suture; b) heating said selected portion of said suture to a predetermined temperature sufficient to cause said portion of said suture to be reversibly stiffened when said heat is maintainted for a predetermined period of time and said selected portion of said suture is permitted to cool; c) maintaining said temperature for said predetermined period of time; and d) permitting said selected portion of said suture to be cooled.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1665216A
Cited
FR1478695A
Cited
US3422181A
Cited
US3980177A
Cited
US3875946A
Cited
US3926194A
Cited
FR2361119A1
Cited
US4832025A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.