Ethicon, Gmbh

Eugene D Reynolds

Frank Richard Cichocki, Jr

Gregory Hollin

David D Demarest

Frank Richard Cichocki

Daniel J Smith

Michael William Nordmeyer

Robert E Maurer

Frank R Cichocki

William C McJames

Bernard M Willis

John J Price

Carl Gucker

Jerry W Stametz

Robert Brown

Lester E Schaible

Kenneth R Barsch

George Schob

Mufutau G Olatunji

Andrew John Schuessler

Geoffrey DeYoung

Gordon Stuart

David DeMarest

Robert Maurer

Kenneth Barsch

Jr Frank Richard Cichocki

A method for making a curved tungsten alloy suture needle comprising the step of heating tungsten alloy needle blanks or a tungsten alloy suture needle to a temperature below the recrystallization temperature of the alloy. The tungsten alloy suture needles described herein have a desirable combination of stiffness, strength, ductility, and surface color.

Tungsten alloy suture needles

An apparatus for thermally treating a plurality of curved suture needles. The apparatus includes a conveyer for transferring the plurality of curved suture needles from a source of curved suture needles to a receiver, a housing positioned adjacent the conveyer, the housing having a first end, a second end, and an opening running from the first end to the second end, the opening aligned with the conveyer to enable the plurality of curved suture needles to pass therethrough, and a heat source located within the housing for heating the plurality of curved suture needles as the plurality of curved suture needles are transferred by the conveyer from the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing. Also provided is a process for thermally treating a plurality of curved suture needles to enhance the stiffness and yield moment of the curved suture needles. The curved suture needles so treated have a desirable combination of stiffness, strength and ductility.

Rapid thermal treatment for enhancing bending stiffness and yield moment of curved needles

An apparatus for thermally treating and coloring a plurality of curved suture needles. The apparatus includes a conveyer for transferring the plurality of curved suture needles from a source of curved suture needles to a receiver, a housing positioned adjacent the conveyer, the housing having a first end, a second end, and an opening running from the first end to the second end, the opening aligned with the conveyer to enable the plurality of curved suture needles to pass therethrough, a heat source located within the housing for heating the plurality of curved suture needles as the plurality of curved suture needles are transferred by the conveyer from the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing and a system for providing a gas mixture containing a fractional concentration of oxygen to oxidize and colorize the surfaces of the plurality of curved suture needles as the plurality of suture needles pass through the housing. A process for thermally treating and coloring a plurality of curved suture needles to colorize and enhance the stiffness and yield moment of the curved suture needles is also provided.

Rapid thermal treatment for coloring surgical needles

In a method of attaching a suture to a needle barrel, a first compression stroke compresses the radially-defined top of the barrel against a suture in the bore of the barrel while restraining the bottom and sides of the barrel against deformation. A second compression stroke compresses the bottom of the barrel against the suture while restraining the sides against deformation. In another method, the top and bottom are compressed concurrently while the sides are restrained against deformation. An apparatus for attaching a suture to a needle barrel includes two die sets, each including a die with a groove therein. In one die set, the groove protects the bottom and sides of the barrel from deformation while the top is compressed. In the other die set, the groove protects the sides of the barrel from deformation while the bottom is compressed.

Surgical needle swage tool

A method of mechanically treating alloy metal surgical needles to improve bending strength is disclosed. The needles are curved and reverse-curved in this method to improve bending strength.

Process for treating metal alloy surgical needles to improve bending stiffness

A continuous process for electropolishing surgical needles. Surgical needles are mounted to an electrically conductive carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are then moved continuously through an electropolishing bath and the needles are maintained in the bath for a sufficient period of time to effectively polish the needles.

Continuous process for electropolishing surgical needles

A process for progressively manufacturing cutting edge needles or wire members. Needle blanks or wire blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are moved through a succession of coining dies and at least one trimming die, wherein the first coining die is an open coining die and the one or more successive coining dies are closed coining dies. The needle blanks or wire members are optionally curved, heat treated and electrochemically treated resulting in cutting edge needles or wire members formed without a grinding step and without adversely affecting point ductility.

Process for manufacturing surgical needles

Growing community of inventors

Avon By The Sea, NJ, United States of America

Eugene D Reynolds