# US 2008/0185752 A1 · Apparatus and method for making suture packages

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- Number: US 2008/0185752 A1
- Document ID: US20080185752A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/495,303
- Filed: 2006-07-28
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2006-07-28
- Assignees: Ethicon, Inc.
- Inventors: Robert James Cerwin; Clifford A. Dey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080185752A1

## CPC

- A61B 17/06133: {of parallelepipedal shape, e.g. made of rectangular or slightly oval panels}
- B29C 33/306: {Exchangeable mould parts, e.g. cassette moulds, mould inserts (moulds with exchangeable mould parts for injection moulding B29C45/2673; mounting of exchangeable mould inserts for injection moulding B29C45/2675)}
- B29C 45/2673: {with exchangeable mould parts, e.g. cassette moulds (B29C45/1756 takes precedence)}
- A61B 2017/00526: {Methods of manufacturing}
- A61B 2017/06142: {having needle- or suture- retaining members, e.g. holding tabs or needle parks}
- B29L 2031/753: {Medical equipment; Accessories therefor (bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008)}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

Apparatus and method for making a plurality of different types of suture packages employ a mold with first and second opposing mold parts partially defining a mold cavity, at least one of the opposing mold parts has an opening therein communicating with the mold cavity. An insert is removeably inserted into the opening, to complete the mold cavity in a form suitable for molding a first type of suture package. An alternative insert is interchangeable with the first insert for completing the mold cavity in a form suitable for molding a second type of suture package. To make different suture packages, the mold is initially configured and used with one of the inserts to thereby make one type of suture package. The first insert is then replaced with the second, changing the mold cavity to form another type of suture package.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mold for making suture packages, comprising:
a first portion for forming a first surface of a first type of suture package, the first surface having a first shape;
a second portion for forming a second surface of said first type of suture package, the second surface having a second shape, said second portion removeably conjoinable to said first portion; and
an alternative second portion for forming an alternative second surface of said first type of suture package to thereby yield a second type of suture package, the alternative second surface having a third shape, said alternative second portion removeably conjoinable to said first portion interchangeably with said second portion for producing the second type of suture package.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mold of claim 1, wherein said first portion has as plurality of subparts, one subpart for forming the first surface and a second subpart forming a surface opposing the first surface of the first type of suture package.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The mold of claim 2, wherein said plurality of subparts of said first portion are utilizable in conjunction with said alternative second portion for producing said second type of suture packages.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The mold of claim 3, wherein said second portion has a plurality of subparts, one subpart for forming the second surface and a second subpart for forming a surface opposing the second surface of the first type of suture package.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The mold of claim 4, wherein said alternative second portion has a plurality of subparts, one subpart for forming the alternative second surface and a second subpart for forming a surface opposing the alternative second surface of the second type of suture package.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The mold of claim 5, wherein said first portion forms the suture channel of the first and second types of suture package, said second portion forms the interior field of the first type of suture package and said alternative second portion forms the interior field of the second type of suture package.

### Claim 7

A mold assembly for making suture packages, comprising:
first and second opposing mold parts partially defining a mold cavity, at least one of said first and second opposing mold parts having an opening therein communicating with the mold cavity;
a first insert removeably insertable into said opening, said first insert completing the mold cavity in a form suitable for molding a first type of suture package when said first insert has been inserted into said opening; and
an alternative second insert selectably interchangeable with said first insert and removeably insertable into said opening for completing the mold cavity in a form suitable for molding a second type of suture package when said second insert has been inserted into said opening.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The mold assembly of claim 7, wherein said first mold part has said opening therein and said second mold part has another opening therein communicating with the mold cavity and further including a third insert removeably insertable into said another opening and communicating with the mold cavity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The mold assembly of claim 8, wherein said opening and said another opening are substantially axially aligned.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The mold assembly of claim 9, further including an alternative fourth insert selectively interchangeable with said third insert and removable insertable into said another opening for completing the mold cavity in a form suitable for molding the second type of suture package.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The mold assembly of claim 10, wherein said first insert and said third insert, when inserted into said opening and said another opening in said first and second mold parts, respectively, form opposing surfaces of the first type of suture package.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The mold assembly of claim 11, wherein said second insert and said fourth insert, when inserted into said opening and said another opening in said first and second mold parts, respectively, form opposing surfaces of the second type of suture package.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The mold assembly of claim 10, wherein the opposing surfaces of the first type and the second type of suture package delimit the internal field of the respective suture packages, the suture channel of the respective suture packages being formed by said first and second opposing mold parts.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The mold assembly of claim 13, wherein the internal field of the first type of suture package differs from that of the second type of suture package and the suture channel of the first and second type of suture packages is the same.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The mold assembly of claim 14, further including a selected number of additional matched pairs of inserts and alternative inserts, a first of each of said matched pairs inserting into said opening, and the remaining insert of each of said matched pairs inserting into said another opening to selectively produce a corresponding series of different suture packages, each having the same type of suture channel but having a unique interior field.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

The mold assembly of claim 7, wherein said first insert and said second insert each have at least one insertion depth limiter.

### Claim 17

A method for making a plurality of suture packages using a mold, comprising the steps of:
(A) providing first and second mold parts defining a first mold cavity;
(B) providing a third mold part selectively conjoinable with the first mold part to define a second mold cavity;
(C) assembling the first and second mold parts;
(D) injecting a material suitable for forming suture packages into the first mold cavity to form a first type of suture package;
(E) dissembling the first and second mold parts;
(F) removing the first type suture package from the mold;
(G) assembling the first and third mold parts;
(H) injecting a material suitable for forming suture packages into the second mold cavity to form a second type of suture package.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein said first mold part has an opening therein communicating with the first mold cavity, further comprising a step of providing an insert insertable into the opening for completing the first mold cavity and wherein the third mold part is an alternative insert insertable into the opening to complete the second mold cavity, and further comprising the steps of inserting the insert into the opening prior to said step (D) and after said step (F), removing the insert from the opening and inserting the third mold part into the opening and replacing said step (G) with the step of reassembling the first and second mold parts.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising, the step (I) of disassembling the first and third mold parts, the step (J) of removing the second type suture package from the mold, the steps of repeating steps (C) through (F) a number of times ranging from 0 to a selected number; and repeating steps (G) through (J) a number of times ranging from 0 to a selected number.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the second mold part has a corresponding opening therein communicating with the first or second mold cavities, as determined by insertion of the insert or the third mold part, respectively into the opening in the first mold part, and further comprising the steps of providing a corresponding insert insertable into the corresponding opening in the second mold part for completing the first mold cavity and providing an alternative corresponding insert insertable into the corresponding opening in the second mold part for completing the second mold cavity and prior to step (D) of injecting, inserting the corresponding insert into the corresponding opening in the second mold part and prior to step (G) inserting the alternative corresponding insert into the corresponding opening in the second mold part.