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Pull test apparatus for permanently attached sutures

  • US 5,918,284 A
  • Filed: 02/18/1998
  • Issued: 06/29/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A needle threading and swaging apparatus for attaching a suture to a surgical needle having a suture receiving opening formed therein, said apparatus comprising:

  • (a) a semi-automatic needle singulating station for receiving a plurality of randomly arranged surgical needles, said station having a sliding surface for assisting an operator in singulating surgical needles for transfer to a precise positioning apparatus;

    (b) a precise positioning apparatus for receiving singulated needles from said needle singulating station and precisely positioning the singulated needle at a first predetermined location;

    (c) a universal gripper for receiving each precisely positioned and singulated needle at said first predetermined location and indexing said needle in a predetermined orientation from said first predetermined location through successive locations for sequential swaging and testing at subsequent predetermined locations,(d) a suture swaging station for swaging said suture receiving opening about a free end of a suture to secure said suture thereto and form therefrom a needle and suture assembly,(e) a suture pull test station, said station having a non-destructive test assembly having a pair of non-destructive gripping jaws for positively gripping said suture at a first position below a v-blade needle support arm, said non-destructive gripping assembly including a slide block means for applying said positive downward force of predetermined value to said gripped suture strand to thereby test the strength of said swage bond;

    whereby unsorted needles and an indefinite length of suture material are formed into a plurality of surgical needle and suture assemblies.

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