Fused loop of filamentous material and apparatus for making same
AssigneeAxya Medical, Inc.
InventorsThomas D. Egan, Paul V. Fenton, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention is a fused loop (10) of an elongated material such as a surgical suture, and apparatus for making the loop. Portions of one or more segments (12) to be joined together are fused in a welding process to form a welded joint (14). The shear area of the fused portion (20) of the joint (14) determines the strength of the joint (14), and is thus preferably relatively large. Various configurations for the welding apparatus facilitate the creation of relatively large fused portions (20) of the joint (14) by maximizing contact between at least one of the welding members of the apparatus, and at least one of the segments (12) to be joined.
Claims25
A fused loop of an elongated material, comprising:
- one or more segments of said material extending along a principal axis, portions of said segments being oppositely directed and joined together to form a loop at a joint region extending between first and second ends and including:
- i. a first portion of elongated material extending form said first end,
- ii. a second portion of elongated material extending from said second end, and
- iii. a fused portion between said first and second portions, said fused portion comprising a relatively thin layer of fused material from the first and second portions,
- wherein the elongated material in said first and second portions of the joint region is characterized by a high degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the principal axis of the material and high strength in the direction of the principal axis of the material and high strength in the direction of the principal axis relative to the degree of molecular orientation and strength in other than the direction of the principal axis, and the fused material in the fused portion of the joint region in characterized by a low degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the principal axis of the material relative to the degree of molecular orientation in other than the direction of principal axis and the first and second portions at the first and second ends of the joint region outside of the fused portion have cross-sectional areas which are greater than the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions of the joint region which abut the fused portion,
- wherein said first portion, said second portion and said fused portion bear a pattern transverse to the principal axes of said elongated material adjacent to the respective first and second portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.