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. 30, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 23, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Thomas D Maurer, San Angelo, TX (US);
Michael J Brown, deceased, late of San Angelo, TX (US);
Assignee:
Ethicon, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B23K / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
228212 ; 228-61 ; 228 491 ;
Abstract
A method and apparatus is available for receiving surgical needle stock from a needle fabrication line and welding the surgical needle stock to a metal tape. The apparatus includes a welding station where the needle stock is welded to the tape. A tape indexing unit is arranged to move the metal tape through the welding station. A preload chuck is arranged to receive the surgical needle stock from the needle fabrication line and a gripper assembly is arranged to receive the surgical needle stock from the preload chuck and transfer the surgical needle stock from the preload chuck to the welding station.