US 6,206,677 B1Granted

Suture cutting system

AssigneeEthicon, Inc.

InventorsDavid D. Demarest, John F. Blanch, William F. Smith

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Apparatus for cutting an indefinite length suture to different lengths for subsequent threading and swaging to surgical needles includes a drawing tower having first and second guide members defining a drawing axis parallel thereto. First and second grippers are provided to grip the indefinite length suture and to alternately draw it along the drawing axis, with each gripper being mounted for reciprocal movement along a guide member. Each gripper alternately grips the suture and draws it a distance beyond the location of a cutter assembly while the other gripper reciprocates to a start position before the cutter assembly. A tipping assembly heats a predetermined small length of the suture to stiffen the suture thereat after subsequent cooling, in preparation for cutting the suture thereat and inserting a stiffened lead cut end of the suture into an end of a needle for swaging thereto. Both the tipping assembly and the cutter assembly are variably positioned in the apparatus to accommodate different cut lengths of suture. A long length of suture travel is provided between the tipping assembly and the cutter assembly which is a discrete number of apparatus cutting cycles between the tipping and cutting operations to allow the tipped suture to cool prior to cutting.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An apparatus for cutting an indefinite length of suture to uniform lengths for subsequent threading and swaging to surgical needles having a suture receiving opening formed therein, comprising:

(a) a drawing frame having at least one longitudinal member and defining a drawing axis parallel thereto;
(b) a heater disposed on the drawing frame for heating a predetermined small length of suture to enable stiffening of the small length of suture after subsequent cooling thereof;
(c) cutting means for cutting said indefinite length suture at the stiffened small length to provide uniform lengths of suture;
(d) first and second gripping means for gripping said indefinite length suture and alternately drawing it along said drawing axis, said first and second gripping means being mounted for reciprocal movement on said at least one longitudinal member such that the first and second gripping means are used alternately to draw suture through the apparatus and feed the cut stiffened small length of suture into the suture receiving opening of one of the needles;
and
(e) suture handling means for providing a predetermined long length of suture travel between the heater and the cutting means for enabling a predetermined degree of cooling of the stiffened small length of suture to allow setting and stiffening of the small length of suture prior to cutting.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/804,478Filed 21 Feb 1997 · continuation in part
Priority: 13 Jan 1994
Granted: 27 Mar 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification38 codes

A61B 17/0467
For suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials: instruments for cutting sutures
A61B 17/06
For suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials: needles ; Sutures; Needle-suture combinations; Holders or packages for…
A61B 17/06004
Needles ; Sutures; Needle-suture combinations; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials: means for attaching suture to needle
A61B 17/06133
Packages or dispensers for needles or sutures: of parallelepipedal shape, e.g. made of rectangular or slightly oval panels