Suture capture and tensioning arrangement in a machine for the automated packaging of needles and attached sutures
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsRobert A. Daniele, Anthony Esteves, George Horst Reinemuth, Richard Paul Branco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A machine for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, a suture capture and tensioning arrangement in an automated machine for the high-speed individualized packaging of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures.
Claims19
A suture capture and tensioning arrangement in a machine for the automated packaging of a single needle having an attached suture to produce a suture package, wherein said machine automatically winds said suture within confines of a tray and attaches a cover to said tray so as to constitute said suture package, said machine having at least one tool nest for supporting said tray, and means for imparting a forwarding motion to said tool nest and said tray supported thereon for indexed advance to a plurality of workstations stationarily arranged proximate a path of advancing movement of said at least one tool nest;
- said arrangement comprising:
- (a) suture clamping means located proximate said at least one tool nest, said suture clamping means being activated to clampingly engage a portion of a suture attached to a surgical needle retained in a tray mounted on said tool nest and depending therefrom at a workstation for feeding said needle to said tray;
- (b) first vacuum-generating means for imparting a tension to said depending suture portion;
- (c) and second vacuum-generating means for imparting tension to a trailing end of said depending suture portion.
A method of capturing and tensioning sutures in a machine for the automated packaging of a single needle having an attached suture to produce a suture package, wherein said machine automatically winds said suture within confines of a tray and attaches a cover to said tray so as to constitute said suture package, said machine having at least one tool nest for supporting said tray, and imparting a forwarding motion to said tool nest and said tray supported thereon for indexed advance to a plurality of workstations stationarily arranged proximate a path of advancing movement of said at least one tool nest;
- said method comprising:
- (a) effecting suture clamping proximate said at least one tool nest, said suture clamping being activated to engage a portion of a suture attached to a surgical needle retained in a tray mounted on said tool nest and depending therefrom at a workstation for feeding said needle to said tray;
- (b) through a first vacuum-generating device imparting a tension to said depending suture portion;
- (c) and through a second vacuum-generating device imparting tension to a trailing end of said depending suture portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.