Apparatus for forming barbs on a suture
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for cutting barbs into a suture comprising:
- a filament supply means;
an in-feed collet for holding one end of a filament threaded therethrough;
an out-feed collet for holding a second end of a filament threaded therethrough;
a holder positioned between said in-feed and out-feed collets for holding a filament suspended between them; and
a cutting assembly for cutting barbs in the filament tensioned between said in-feed and out feed collets.
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Abstract
An apparatus for cutting barbs into a suture having a filament supply. The apparatus also has an in-feed collet for holding one end of a filament threaded therethrough. Further the apparatus has an out-feed collet for holding a second end of a filament threaded therethrough. Additionally, the apparatus has a holder positioned between said in-feed and out-feed collets for holding a filament suspended between the in-feed and out-feed collets. The apparatus also has a cutting assembly for cutting barbs in the filament tensioned between the in-feed and out-feed collets.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for cutting barbs into a suture comprising:
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a filament supply means;
an in-feed collet for holding one end of a filament threaded therethrough;
an out-feed collet for holding a second end of a filament threaded therethrough;
a holder positioned between said in-feed and out-feed collets for holding a filament suspended between them; and
a cutting assembly for cutting barbs in the filament tensioned between said in-feed and out feed collets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. The apparatus of claim l, wherein the cutting assembly comprises:
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a first directional feed motor for moving a first cutter;
a second directional feed motor for moving a second cutter; and
a third directional feed motor for moving a grasping tool, wherein the first and second cutters cut barbs into a filament and the grasping tool advances the filament after cutting of the barbs. - View Dependent Claims (12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22)
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11. An apparatus for cutting barbs into sutures comprising:
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a first directional feed motor for moving a first cutter;
a second directional feed motor for moving a second cutter; and
a third directional feed motor for moving a grasping tool, wherein the first and second cutters cut barbs into a filament and the grasping tool advances the filament after cutting of the barbs.
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13. A holder for securing a suture in preparation for the cutting of barbs therein comprising:
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a bed, a channel arranged in the bed; and
a plurality of orifices arranged along the channel, each orifice comprising a first end exposed in the channel and a second end connected to a suction means, wherein a suction applied to the second end creates a vacuum for securing a suture placed so as to cover at least one of the plurality of orifices.
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14. A collet for holding a suture in place relative to its longitudinal axis during the cutting of barbs therein, comprising:
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a chuck support;
a chuck having a variably adjustable aperture housed in said support;
said chuck comprising a plurality of jaws, whereby movement of said jaws adjusts the aperture of said chuck to hold a suture threaded there through.
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20. An apparatus for cutting barbs into sutures comprising:
at least one collet for holding a suture, wherein said at least one collet rotates in a first direction to impart twist on a suture.
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23. An apparatus for cutting barbs into sutures comprising:
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at least one collet; and
at least one biased tensioner, the biased tensioner allowing the at lest one collet to move in a first direction as a suture held in a chuck housed in the collet is twisted, the biased tensioner moving the collet in a second direction as the suture is untwisted;
wherein the movement of the collet insures that the suture receives no more than a specified tension.
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24. An apparatus for cutting barbs into sutures comprising:
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a suture material supply, for feeding suture material to at least on collet, said at least one collet holding suture material along a longitudinal axis; and
a tensioner, the tensioner further comprising at least one fixed pulley and at least one movable biased pulley, wherein the movable biased pulley imparts a force on the suture material tensioning a section of suture material held by the at least one collet.
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25. A cutter for use in an apparatus for cutting barbs into sutures comprising:
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a first edge, the first sharply honed edge for cutting a barb into a suture to a specified depth and in a specified direction; and
a second edge, the second edge blunted and roughened to impart a roughened texture to a surface of the barb cut into the suture.
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26. An apparatus for cutting barbs into a suture comprising:
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a filament supply means;
at least one collet for holding a filament;
a cutting bed for resting a filament thereon; and
a cutting assembly for cutting barbs in the filament. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method of forming a barbed suture comprising the steps of:
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threading a filament from a filament supply through a filament tensioner and through a first and second collet;
closing the first and second collets;
rotating at least one of the collets in a first direction to twist the filament;
cutting barbs in at least a first direction into the twisted filament;
untwisting the filament and opening the collets;
advancing the filament using a filament grasping tool;
closing the collets; and
severing the filament having barbs cut in to form a suture.
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Specification