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US 8,062,437 B2Granted
Thermal forming of refractory alloy surgical needles and fixture and apparatus
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsFrank R. Cichocki, Thomas Nering, David Demarest
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of thermal forming of refractory alloy suture needles is disclosed. Needle blanks made from refractory alloys are used to form surgical needles, which are heated to a temperature above the ductile to brittle transition temperature but below the recrystallization temperature of the refractory alloy. The heated needle blanks are then mechanically formed into a surgical needle. A Fixture and an apparatus for forming refractory alloy surgical needles using this method are also disclosed.
Claims22
A method of forming a refractory alloy into a surgical needle, said method comprising:
- providing an alloy metal needle blank, said needle blank comprising a refractory metal alloy;
- providing a heating fixture, the heating fixture comprising:
- an upper insulating member having a top side, a bottom side and a cavity extending up from the bottom side, the member having a die passage extending therethrough for receiving a die;
- a lower insulating member having a top side, a bottom side and a cavity extending down from the top side, the member having a die passage extending therethrough for receiving a die;
- an insulator block having a cavity and a pair of opposed needle slots, the block having a passage extending therethrough for receiving at least one die;
- a heater element block mounted in the cavity of the insulator block, said heater element block having a longitudinal needle slot substantially in alignment with the opposed slots of the insulator block, said heater element block having a die passage extending therethrough and intersecting the slot for receiving at least one die;
- and,
- a RF induction source member,
- wherein the insulator block containing the heater element and the RF induction source member are mounted in the cavities between the upper and lower insulating members to form an inductive heating fixture such that there is a slot between the upper and lower insulating members in alignment with the opposed slots of the insulating block and the slot of the heater element block, and such that the die passages of the lower insulating member, the insulating block, the heater element, and the upper insulating member are substantially in alignment;
- heating at least a section of the needle blank to a temperature above the ductile to a brittle transition temperature, but below the recrystallization temperature of the alloy;
- and,
- mechanically forming the needle blank into a surgical needle.
9 more elements
An heating fixture for heating refractory metal alloy surgical needle blanks, comprising:
- an upper insulating member having a top side, a bottom side and a cavity extending up from the bottom side, the member having a die passage extending therethrough for receiving a die;
- a lower insulating member having a top side, a bottom side and a cavity extending down from the top side, the member having a die passage extending therethrough for receiving a die;
- an insulator block having a cavity and a pair of opposed needle slots, the block having a passage extending therethrough for receiving at least one die;
- a heater element block mounted in the cavity of the insulator block, said heater element block having a longitudinal needle slot substantially in alignment with the opposed slots of the insulator block, said heater element block having a die passage extending therethrough and intersecting the slot for receiving at least one die;
- and,
- a RF induction source member,
- wherein the insulator block containing the heater element and the RF induction source member are mounted in the cavities between the upper and lower insulating members to form an inductive heating fixture such that there is a slot between the upper and lower insulating members in alignment with the opposed slots of the insulating block and the slot of the heater element block, and such that the die passages of the lower insulating member, the insulating block, the heater element, and the upper insulating member are substantially in alignment.
4 more elements
An apparatus for forming refractory alloy surgical needles, comprising:
- a frame;
- a die press mounted to the frame, having upper and lower dies;
- an indexing fixture slidably mounted to the frame, said fixture capable of receiving and holding at least one refractory alloy needle blank;
- an inductive heating fixture, said fixture comprising:
- an upper insulating member having a top side, a bottom side and a cavity extending up from the bottom side, the member having a die passage extending therethrough for receiving a die;
- a lower insulating member having a top side, a bottom side and a cavity extending down from the top side, the member having a die passage extending therethrough for receiving a die;
- an insulator block having a cavity and a pair of opposed needle slots, the block having a passage extending therethrough for receiving at least one die;
- a heater element block mounted in the cavity of the insulator block, said heater element block having a longitudinal needle slot substantially in alignment with the opposed slots of the insulator block, said heater element block having a die passage extending therethrough and intersecting the slot for receiving at least one die;
- and,
- a RF inductive source member,
- wherein the insulator block containing the the heater element and the RF source member are mounted in the cavities between the upper and lower insulating members to form an inductive heating fixture such that there is a slot between the upper and lower insulating members in alignment with the opposed slots of the insulating block and the slot of the heater element block, and such that the die passages of the lower insulating member, the insulating block, the heater element, and the upper insulating member are substantially in alignment, and,
- wherein the indexing fixture moves each needle blank through the slots in the heating fixture to a location within the fixture where the upper and lower dies may contact each needle blank after each such needle blank is heated.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.