Apparatus and method for securing sutures to surgical needles

Apparatus for forming suture/needle assemblies said assemblies including a surgical needle and surgical suture thread secured at a shank end of said surgical needle by a length of heat shrinkable tubing, comprising:

• a first station including:
• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needle,
• means for positioning a heat shrinkable tubing on a shank of said surgical needle, and
• a heat source for shrinking a portion of said heat shrinkable tubing about said shank;
• and
• a second station including:
• needle holding means for releasably securing said surgical needle having said heat shrinkable tubing secured thereon, said needle holding means being pneumatically controlled,
• a source of surgical suture thread material, said surgical suture thread being positioned within said heat shrinkable tubing at an end of said tubing opposite said shank of said surgical needle, and
• a heat source for shrinking a heat shrinkable tubing about a shank surgical suture thread to secure said surgical suture thread to said needle shank to form said suture/needle assembly.

Apparatus for forming suture/needle assemblies, said assemblies including a surgical needle and surgical suture thread secured at a shank end of said surgical needle by a length of heat shrinkable tubing, comprising:

• a first station including;
• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needle,
• means for positioning said heat shrinkable tubing on said shank of said surgical needle, said positioning means comprising a piston which abuts an end of said heat shrinkable tubing to urge said tubing onto said shank, and
• a heat source for shrinking a portion of said heat shrinkable tubing about said shank;
• and
• a second station including;
• needle holding means for releasably securing said surgical needle having heat shrinkable tubing secured thereon,
• a source of surgical suture thread material said surgical suture thread being positioned within said heat shrinkable tubing at an end of said tubing opposite said shank of said surgical needle, and
• a heat source for shrinking said heat shrinkable tubing about said surgical suture thread to secure said surgical suture thread to said needle shank to form said suture/needle assembly.

Apparatus for forming suture/needle assemblies said assemblies including a surgical needle and surgical suture thread secured at a shank end of said surgical needle by a length of heat shrinkable tubing, comprising:

• a first station including:
• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needle,
• means for positioning a heat shrinkable tubing on a shank of said surgical needle, said positioning means comprising a solenoid having a movable core, said core urging said heat shrinkable tubing onto said shank, and
• a heat source for shrinking a portion of said heat shrinkable tubing about said shank;
• and
• a second station including:
• needle holding means for releasably securing said surgical needle having said heat shrinkable tubing secured thereon,
• a source of surgical suture thread material, said surgical suture thread being positioned within said heat shrinkable tubing at an end of said tubing opposite said shank of said surgical needle, and
• a heat source for shrinking said heat shrinkable tubing about said surgical suture thread to secure said surgical suture thread to said needle shank to form said suture/needle assembly.

Apparatus for forming suture/needle assemblies, said assemblies including a surgical needle and surgical suture thread secured at a shank end of said surgical needle by a length of heat shrinkable tubing, comprising:

• a first station including:
• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needle,
• means for positioning said heat shrinkable tubing on said shank of said surgical needle, said positioning means comprising a beveled trough for aligning said heat shrinkable tubing with said shank and a piston which abuts an end of said tubing and urges said tubing over said shank, and
• a heat source for shrinking a portion of said heat shrinkable tubing about said shank;
• and
• a second station including;
• needle holding means for releasably securing said surgical needle having said heat shrinkable tubing secured thereon,
• a source of surgical suture thread material, said surgical suture thread being positioned within said he at shrinkable tubing at an end of raid tubing opposite said shank of said surgical needle, and
• a heat source for shrinking said heat shrinkable tubing about said surgical suture thread to secure said surgical suture thread to said needle shank to form said suture/needle assembly.

Apparatus for forming suture/needle assemblies, said assemblies including a surgical needle and surgical suture thread secured at a shank end of said surgical needle by a length of heat shrinkable tubing, comprising:

• a first station including:
• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needle,
• means for positioning said heat shrinkable tubing on said shank of said surgical needle, and
• a heat source for shrinking a portion of said heat shrinkable tubing about said shank;
• and
• a second station including;
• needle holding means for releasably securing said surgical needle having said heat shrinkable tubing secured thereon,
• a source of surgical suture thread material, said surgical suture thread being positioned within said heat shrinkable tubing at an end of said tubing opposite said shank of said surgical needle, and
• a source of hot air for shrinking said heat shrinkable tubing about said surgical suture thread to secure said surgical suture thread to said surgical needle shank to form said suture/needle assembly,
• wherein said hot air source further includes a heat chamber for enclosing said surgical suture thread, said heat shrink tubing and said shank end to circulate and distribute said hot air about the connection of said suture thread and heat shrink tubing to shrink said tubing about said surgical suture thread.

Apparatus for preparing surgical needles for incorporation into suture/needle assemblies, said surgical needles having a pointed end and a shank end comprising:

• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needles:
• means for positioning it portion of a length of heat shrink tubing over a shank end of said surgical needle said positioning means comprising a beveled trough for aligning said heat shrink tubing with said shank and a piston which urges said tubing over said shank;
• and
• a heat source for shrinking said portion of heat shrink tubing about said shank end of said surgical needle.

Apparatus for preparing surgical needles for incorporation into suture/needle assemblies, said surgical needles having a pointed end and a shank end, comprising:

• needle holding means comprising reciprocatingly means for releasably securing a surgical needles;
• means for positioning a portion of a length of heat shrink tubing over a shank end of said surgical needle;
• and
• a heat source for shrinking said portion of heat shrink tubing about said shank end of said surgical needle.

Apparatus for preparing surgical needles for incorporation into suture/needle assemblies, said surgical needles having a pointed end and a shank end, comprising:

• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needles;
• means for positioning a portion of a length of heat shrink tubing over a shank end of said surgical needle said positioning means comprising a piston, said piston abutting an end of said shrink tubing to position said tubing over said shank end of said surgical needle:
• and
• a heat source for shrinking said portion of heat shrink tubing about said shank end of said surgical needle.

Apparatus for forming surgical suture/needle assemblies said suture/needle assemblies including a surgical needle having a pointed end and a shank end, said shank end having a length of heat shrinkable tubing secured thereon and extending outwardly from said shank, said apparatus comprising:

• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needle;
• a source of surgical suture thread material said material being insertable into an end of said heat shrinkable tubing remote from said shank end of said surgical needle;
• a heat source:
• and
• a heat chamber means for containing heat from said heat source and circulating heat about said heat shrinkable tubing to shrink said tubing about said surgical suture thread to form said suture/needle assembly,
• wherein said heat chamber means comprises a slidable glass cover which slides over said needle shank, said heat shrinkable tubing, said surgical suture thread positioned in said heat shrinkable tubing and said heat source prior to application of heat from said heat source.

Apparatus for forming surgical suture/needle assemblies, said suture/needle assemblies including a surgical needle having a pointed end and a shank end, said shank end having a length of heat shrinkable tubing secured thereon and extending outwardly from said shank, said apparatus comprising:

• needle holding means for releasably securing a surgical needle;
• a source of surgical suture thread material, said material being insertable into an end of said heat shrinkable tubing remote from said shank end of said surgical needle;
• a heat source;
• and
• heat chamber means slidably moveable with respect to said heat shrinkable tubing for containing heat from said heat source and circulating heat about a portion of said heat shrinkable tubing to shrink said tubing about said surgical suture thread to form said suture/needle assembly.

A method for forming surgical suture/needle assemblies, said suture/needle assemblies including a surgical needle having a surgical suture thread attached thereto through the provision of a length of heat shrinkable tubing, said method comprising the steps of:

• securing a surgical needle in a needle holding device;
• positioning a length of heat shrinkable tubing adjacent a shank end of said surgical needle;
• urging a portion of said tubing over said shank end;
• applying a source of heat to said shank end of said surgical needle to shrink said portion of said tubing about said shank;
• removing said heat source;
• positioning said surgical suture thread into an end of said heat shrinkable tubing remote from said shank;
• applying a source of heat by circulating the heat to said tubing positioned over said surgical suture thread, thereby shrinking shrink said tubing over said surgical suture thread;
• and
• releasing said surgical needle and surgical suture thread assembly from said needle holding device.

A method for forming surgical suture/needle assemblies, said suture/needle assemblies including a surgical needle having a surgical suture thread attached thereto through the provision of a length of heat shrinkable tubing, said method comprising the steps of:

• securing a surgical needle in a needle holding device;
• positioning a length of heat shrinkable tubing adjacent a shank end of said surgical needle:
• urging a portion of said tubing over said shank end;
• applying a source of heat to said shank end of said surgical needle to shrink said portion of said tubing about said shank;
• removing said heat source;
• positioning said surgical suture thread into an end of said heat shrinkable tubing remote from said shank;
• covering said needle shank, said heat shrinkable tubing and said surgical suture thread with a slidable glass cover prior to the application of heat to circulate the heat for shrinking said tubing over said surgical suture thread;
• applying a source of heat to said tubing to shrink said tubing over said surgical suture thread;
• and
• releasing said surgical needle and surgical suture thread assembly from said needle holding device.