US5156788A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for heat tipping sutures
Assignee: United States Surgical Corp
•
Filing: 1989-11-14
•
Granted: 1992-10-20
•
Expires: 2009-11-14
Abstract
Abstract A heat tipping method and apparatus for surgical sutures to facilitate inserting the sutures into the barrel ends of surgical needles. The method includes tensioning the suture, heating a portion of the suture to be heat tipped by blowing a current of hot air across the portion of the suture, and releasing the tension and cutting the portion of the suture to create heat tipped ends. The apparatus includes a cylindrical drum around which the suture is wound, a concave channel in the drum for delimiting a portion of the suture to be heated, and hot air blowers for heating the delimited portions of the suture to a heat tipping temperature.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael P. Chesterfield
- 👤 Stanley J. Malinowski
- 👤 George R. Proto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:41
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: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 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 of between about 300° F. to 320° F. and maintaining said heat tipping temperature for a period of time determined in accordance with the size of the suture, said heat tipping temperature being such as to cause said delimited portion of said suture to be reversibly stiffened upon being permitted to cool.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 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 of between about 300° F. to 320° F. and maintaining said heat tipping temperature for a period of time determined in accordance with the size of the suture, said heat tipping temperature being such as to cause said delimited portion of said suture to be reversibly stiffened upon being permitted to cool.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said delimiting comprises winding said suture around a drum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said drum includes a longitudinal concave channel for delimiting a portion of the suture to be heated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said drum comprises means for selectively adjusting the effective circumference of the drum relative to the suture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the means for selectively adjusting the effective circumference of said drum comprises an elongated member mounted within a longitudinal notch in the surface of the drum, said elongated member being radially movable between a position in which said elongated member extends a relatively greater distance beyond the circumferential surface of the drum, and a position in which said elongated member extends a lesser distance or not at all beyond the circumferential surface of the drum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said elongated member is spring mounted within a notch in said drum and resiliently biased to said further extending position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising applying tension to said suture before heating.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said tension is applied by said means for adjusting the effective circumference of the drum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said heating step comprises exposing said delimited portion to a temperature of about 320° F.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein heating a portion of said suture comprises blowing a current of heated air across said suture.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 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 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said period of time is determined in accordance with the diameter of said suture.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 additionally comprising cutting the heated portion of said suture.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
51 words
An apparatus for heat tipping a suture which comprises: a) a substantially cylindrical drum having a concave channel for delimiting a portion of the suture not in contact with the drum to be heat tipped; and b) means for heating said delimited portion of said suture to a heat tipping temperature.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
51 words
An apparatus for heat tipping a suture which comprises: a) a substantially cylindrical drum having a concave channel for delimiting a portion of the suture not in contact with the drum to be heat tipped; and b) means for heating said delimited portion of said suture to a heat tipping temperature.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said concave channel extends longitudinally parallel to the axis of the drum.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 14 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 portion of the suture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said hot air outlet means comprises an elongated hot air outlet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 14 additionally comprising means for applying tension to the suture.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said heat tipping temperature is from about 300° F. to about 320° F.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means for cutting said heated portion of said suture so as to divide said portion into two heat tipped ends.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said means for cutting comprises a knife which is transversely movable across the heat tipped portion of the suture.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means to prevent said non-delimited portion of the suture from being heat tipped.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 22 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 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said cylindrical drum has a means for adjusting the drum circumference relative to suture.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus of claim 24 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 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said second position of said elongated member does not extend beyond the circumferential surface of said drum.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said elongated member is resiliently mounted by means of a spring.
Claim 30
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 maintained 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 31
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 maintained 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 32
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said heating step comprises heating said delimited portion for a period of time determined in accordance with suture size as follows: ______________________________________
Suture Size Heating Time (sec.)
______________________________________
2 60-65
1 50-55
1/0 42-46
2/0 25-30
3/0 22-28
4/0 14-18
5/0 12-16
______________________________________
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said heating step comprises exposing said delimited portion to a temperature of about 320° F. for a period of time determined in accordance with suture size as follows: ______________________________________
Suture Size Heating Time (sec.)
______________________________________
2 60-65
1 50-55
1/0 42-46
2/0 25-30
3/0 22-28
4/0 14-18
5/0 12-16
______________________________________
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said suture is a multifilament braided suture.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said suture is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of polyglycolide, polylactide, copolymers of glycolide and lactide, polydioxanone, collagen, silk, nylon, dacron, cotton and linen.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for heat tipping a suture which comprises: a) a substantially cylindrical drum which includes an elongated member mounted within a longitudinal notch in the surface of said drum, said elongated member being radially movable between a first position whereby said elongated member extends a relatively further distance beyond the circumferential surface of said drum, and a second position whereby said elongated member extends a relatively lesser distance beyond the circumferential surface of said drum; b) a concave channel extending longitudinally parallel to the axis of 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; at least one row of cool air outlets for blowing relatively cool air across the non-delimited portion of the suture to prevent said non delimited portion of the suture from being heat-tipped.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for heat tipping a suture which comprises: a) a substantially cylindrical drum which includes an elongated member mounted within a longitudinal notch in the surface of said drum, said elongated member being radially movable between a first position whereby said elongated member extends a relatively further distance beyond the circumferential surface of said drum, and a second position whereby said elongated member extends a relatively lesser distance beyond the circumferential surface of said drum; b) a concave channel extending longitudinally parallel to the axis of 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; at least one row of cool air outlets for blowing relatively cool air across the non-delimited portion of the suture to prevent said non delimited portion of the suture from being heat-tipped.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said elongated member is spring mounted so as to be resiliently movable.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said means for heating the delimited portion of the suture comprises hot air outlet means for blowing air at a temperature of about 300° to 320° F. across the delimited portion of the suture.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-10-20 | 1996-04-20 | 1996-10-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-20 | 2000-04-20 | 2000-10-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-10-20 | 2004-04-20 | 2004-10-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |