Thermal forming of refractory alloy surgical needles
OwnerFrank R. Cichocki, Thomas Nering +1inventors
InventorsFrank R. Cichocki, Thomas Nering, David Demarest
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Abstract
A method of thermal forming of refractory alloy suture needles is disclosed. Needle blanks made from refractory alloys are used to form surgical needles, which are heated to a temperature above the ductile to brittle transition temperature but below the recrystallization temperature of the refractory alloy. The heated needle blanks are then mechanically formed into a surgical needle.
Claims19
A method of forming a refractory alloy into a surgical needle, said method comprising:
- providing an alloy metal needle blank, said needle blank comprising a refractory metal alloy;
- heating at least a section of the needle blank to a temperature above the ductile to a brittle transition temperature, but below the recrystallization temperature of the alloy;
- and,
- mechanically forming the needle blank into a surgical needle.
A surgical needle comprising a refractory alloy wherein the needle can be re-shaped more than 1.0 times without breaking.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.