Pressurized powder support for treating processes
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsRoy D. Gravener, Ross R. Muth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for supporting a piece which is to undergo a treatment process including embedding the piece in a particulate support medium, enclosing the support medium in a container, and pressurizing the support medium by applying pressure to the outside of the container or by applying a vacuum to the interior of the container. Various treatment processes may be employed, such as annealing.
Claims32
A method for annealing a thermoplastic surgical object comprising:
- a) placing the surgical object within a particulate support medium which comprises an aggregation of substantially rigid particles of sufficiently small size to substantially conform to an outer surface of said surgical object, wherein said surgical object comprises a biocompatible thermoplastic preformed material;
- b) creating a difference between the pressure exterior to the aggregation of particles of the particulate support medium and the pressure inside the particulate support medium to compact the support medium into a substantially rigid mass and conform the particulate support medium to the outer surface of said surgical object;
- and then
- c) applying heat for annealing the surgical object.
A method for annealing a thermoplastic surgical object comprising:
- a) placing the surgical object within a particulate support material which comprises an aggregation of substantially rigid particles of sufficiently small size to substantially conform to an outer surface of said surgical object wherein said surgical object comprises a biocompatible thermoplastic preformed material;
- b) enclosing said surgical object and particulate support material within a substantially rigid container which is sealed on all sides,
- said particulate support material and said container having relatively different coefficients of thermal expansion;
- c) compacting said particulate support material by changing the temperature of said particulate support material and said container to conform the particulate support material to the outer surface of said surgical object;
- and then
- d) applying heat for annealing said surgical object.
The method for annealing a predetermined plurality of surgical objects constructed of heat treatable material comprising:
- a) providing a container;
- b) placing a layer of finely grained particulate support medium in said container, said particulate support medium comprising an aggregation of substantially rigid particles of sufficiently small size to substantially conform to outer surfaces of said surgical objects;
- c) positioning a plurality of said surgical objects to be heat treated atop said layer of support medium, said surgical objects of heat treatable material comprising a biocompatible thermoplastic preformed material;
- d) placing a second layer of said support medium on said first layer so as to cover said surgical objects;
- e) repeating steps b and c sufficiently to permit positioning of said predetermined plurality of surgical objects within said container;
- f) creating a differential between the pressure exterior to the aggregation of particles of the support medium and the pressure inside the aggregation of particles of the support medium to create a substantially rigid mass of support medium and surgical objects contained therein and conform the particulate support medium to the outer surfaces of said surgical objects;
- and then
- g) applying heat for annealing said surgical objects.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.