United States Surgical Corporation

Richard Abbate

Richard Parente

Said Rizk

Timothy D Kosa

Michael Haroldsen

Stephen T Cassidy

An apparatus for applying a cutting edge on surgical needles having at least one abrading device and a needle holding mechanism. The abrading device includes an abrasive member such as a rotatable abrasive belt or grinding wheel. The needle holding mechanism is positionable for selectively engaging an end of at least one needle with the abrading device to provide a cutting edge on the needle. A grinding wheel may be provided for hollow grinding the surgical needles, the grinding wheel including a cylindrical member having a plurality of ridges. The cylindrical member preferably has a super-abrasive coating of diamond or boron nitride particles electroplated thereon.

Apparatus for producing hollow ground needles

An apparatus for transporting surgical needles includes a needle holding apparatus having a movable jaw structure. The jaw structure is releasably biased in a closed position for holding needles in a predetermined position. The jaw structure may include laterally movable first and second sections for rotating a needle therebetween. The needle holding apparatus may be removably positionable on a work surface such that the needle holding apparatus may interface with a needle loading apparatus. The needle loading apparatus provides accommodating means capable of containing a multiplicity of needles. A needle advancing structure, such as a movable track, advances the needles in a predetermined fashion from the accommodating means. The needle advancing structure positions needles such that said jaw structure of the holding apparatus can selectively grasp the needles and transport the needle to another location. An alternative embodiment of a needle holding apparatus includes first and second independently movable jaw structures. The jaw structures are selectively and independently actuable into open and closed positions. The first jaw structure may include laterally movable first and second sections for rotating a needle therebetween. The needle transporting apparatus may further provide a calibrating apparatus having a mounting surface. The calibrating apparatus includes a gauge for measuring lateral motion of the jaw structure of the holding apparatus.

Needle transporting apparatus

An apparatus for applying a cutting edge on surgical needles having at least one abrading device and a needle holding mechanism. The abrading device includes an abrasive member such as a rotatable abrasive belt or grinding wheel. The needle holding mechanism is positioned for selectively engaging an end of at least one needle with the abrading device to provide a cutting edge on the needle.

Growing community of inventors

Wallingford, CT, United States of America

Richard Abbate