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:
Dec. 01, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 27, 1997
John C Meade, Walpole, MA (US);
Garfield Development Corporation, Walpole, MA (US);
Abstract
A suture needle grasping and manipulating instrument includes first and second pivotally-connected arms each having a proximal end and a distal end, and first and second jaw assemblies or units pivotally mounted on the distal ends of the first and second arms respectively, said arms being disposed so as to permit relative pivotal movement thereof between a first closed jaw position wherein the jaw assemblies or units are adjacent one another and a second open position wherein the jaw assemblies or units are spaced from one another far enough to permit a needle to be inserted therebetween. The device further includes first selectively-operable means for causing said relative pivotal movement of said arms and second selectively-operable means for pivoting said jaw assemblies or jaw units relative to said arms. The jaw units have jaws that are adapted to releasably grasp and retain therebetween a curved suture needle, whereby pivotal movement of the jaw assemblies or units while in the first closed position causes the suture needle to swing in a corresponding direction for a stitching operation.