Machine for the automated packaging of needles and attached sutures and method of utilizing the packaging machine

A method for the automated packaging of needles having attached sutures to form suture packages, including automatically winding said sutures into a peripheral channel of a tray and attaching a cover to said tray so as to constitute said suture package, including advancing in indexed motions said tray while being supported on a tool next to a plurality of sequential spaced workstations stationarily arranged along the path of advancing movement of said tool nest;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• (a) mounting an empty said tray at a first said workstation on a support surface of said tool nest;
• (b) inserting a plurality of needles and attached sutures into said tray at a second workstation such that said needles are fastened in said tray in a predetermined array and said attached sutures include portions depending downwardly and outwardly from said tray;
• (c) gathering said depending suture portions at a third workstation into a bundled strand and imparting axial tension thereto;
• rotating said support surface and mounted tray about an axis extending normal to the plane of said support surface and tray;
• and operatively in conjunction with gathering said suture, winding said bundled strand of depending suture portions into said peripheral tray channel;
• (d) applying a cover to said tray at a fourth workstation to form said suture package containing said needles and attached wound sutures;
• and imparting pressure to said cover to form latching structure in said cover fastening said cover to said tray and concurrently severing a portion of the cover to form a label which is permanently attached to said tray;
• (e) disengaging said completed suture package at a fifth workstation from said support surface on said tool nest.