Forming latchless surgical clip and fixture for use therein
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsHerbert W. Korthoff, Daniel Shichman, Ross R. Muth, Charles E. Gorman, Jr.
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Abstract
A method for forming a surgical clip and fixture for use therein includes molding a polymeric clip body, the clip body having hinged legs, the polymer of the clip body being substantially amorphous. The clip body can then be moved to a desired configuration while being subjected to a temperature above the glass transition temperature. The molded clip body is then heated to a temperature within the crystallization range for a period of time sufficient to impart at least 20% crystallinity thereto to impart a spring back property. Also disclosed herein is a fixture for forming a surgical clip in accordance with this method.
Claims20
A method for forming a latchless surgical clip comprising:
- a) molding a polymeric clip body, said molded clip body comprising a pair of legs and a hinge region to which one end of each leg is joined, said molded clip body being substantially amorphous;
- and
- b) treating said molded clip body at a temperature within the crystallization range, wherein said legs are in a predetermined rest position, said treating at said temperature within the crystallization range being maintained for a period of time sufficient to impart at least 20% crystallinity thereto to impart a spring back property to said hinge region, said spring back property being sufficient to bias said legs toward said rest position in response to deflection of said legs from said rest position to a deflected position.
A fixture for forming a latchless surgical clip comprising:
- a cavity sized and dimensioned to receive a molded latchless clip, said latchless clip comprising a pair of legs and a hinge region to which one end of each leg is joined, said legs being in an open, spaced apart position;
- means for tightening the cavity to move said legs into a second position different from said open, spaced apart position;
- and
- means for fixedly securing said cavity with said legs in said second position.
A method for forming a surgical clip comprising:
- a) molding a polymeric clip body, said molded clip body comprising a pair of legs joined at a hinge region, said molded clip body being substantially amorphous, and said clip body being molded in a first configuration wherein said legs are in a first position;
- b) moving said clip body from said first configuration to a second configuration wherein said pair of legs are in a second position, and,
- c) heating said molded clip body to a temperature within the crystallization range for a period of time sufficient to impart at least 20% crystallinity thereto to impart a spring back property to said hinge region, said spring back property being sufficient to bias said legs toward said second position in response to deflection of said legs from the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.