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:
Mar. 10, 1998
Filed:
May. 10, 1996
Bernd Haase, Berkeley Heights, NJ (US);
Kenneth J Smith, Somerville, NJ (US);
Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for making a surgical suture which includes a moving clamp for griping surgical suture material. The moving clamp has a gripping state and a non-gripping state. A heating station is provided for heating a length of surgical suture material. A first actuator, coupled to the moving clamp, is provided for translating the moving clamp from a position on a first side of the heating station to a position on a second side of the heating station opposite the first side when the moving clamp is in its gripping state, and for translating the moving clamp from the position on the second side of the heating station to the position on the first side of the heating station when the moving clamp is in its non-griping state. A stationary camp is provided for gripping the surgical suture material after the first actuator has translated the moving clamp from the position on the first side of the heating station to the position on the second side of the heating station. Additionally described is a method for making a plurality of surgical sutures using said apparatus.