The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 17, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 20, 1996
Hwason Goddard, Somerville, NJ (US);
Kenneth M Keilman, Raritan, NJ (US);
Oliver S Sosely, Middlesex, NJ (US);
Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US);
Abstract
We have discovered a process for producing a suture from copolymers of glycolide and .epsilon.-caprolactone comprising the steps of (a) extruding a melted copolymer of a glycolide and .epsilon.-caprolactone resin through an orifice and rapidly quenching the melted copolymer resin to produce a filament; (b) drawing the filament in the range of from about 4.times. to about 7.5.times. to produce a singly drawn filament; (c) drawing the singly drawn filament in the range of form about 1.times. to about 3.times. in a first heated zone being maintained at a temperature in the range of from about 150.degree. F. to about 450.degree. F., to form a doubly drawn filament; (d) shrinking the doubly drawn filament in the range of from about 0.75 percent to about 0.98 percent, in a second heated zone being maintained at a temperature in the range of from about 100.degree. F. to about 400.degree. F., to form a relaxed filament then rack annealing the relaxed filament to form a glycolide/.epsilon.-caprolactone suture.