Method for assembling a package for sutures

• US 6,915,623 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Cerwin, Robert J., Warner, Thomas, Dey, Clifford A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sipos, John
• Application Number:
  US10/641,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 534/30, 534/78, 533/293
• US Class Current: 53/478
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06133 of parallelepipedal shape, e.g. made of rectangular or slightly oval panels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06142 having needle- or suture- retaining members, e.g. holding tabs or needle parks
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/606 the rivets being integral with one of the parts to be joined, i.e. staking
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7841 Holding or clamping means for handling purposes clamping means for the purpose of applying pressure on the parts to be joined, in the area to be joined B29C66/81; work holders in general B25B; devices for holding or positioning work for welding metal B23K37/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/80 General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8242 Pneumatic or hydraulic drives using fluid pressure directly acting on the parts to be joined B29C66/8266
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8246 Servomechanisms, e.g. servomotors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/065 HDPE, i.e. high density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 51/22 by friction or ultrasonic or high-frequency electrical means , i.e. by friction or ultrasonic or induction welding

Abstract

A novel method and apparatus for riveting a two-piece suture tray package. A two-piece suture tray assembly is provided having a top member and a bottom member. The top member has a top and a bottom, and plurality of rivet members extending down from the bottom of the top member. The rivet members have free ends. The bottom member has a top and a flat bottom surface, and a plurality of rivet receiving openings extending therethrough. A counterbore surrounds each rivet receiving opening in the flat bottom surface. An ultrasonic riveting apparatus is provided having a clamp member with a cavity, and an ultrasonic horn member having a flat bottom moveably mounted in the cavity. The assembly is mounted in the riveting apparatus and engaged by the clamp member. The flat bottom of the horn member engages the free ends of the rivet members, and when energized by an ultrasonic generator, causes the free ends of the rivet members to deform into the counterbores, such that the free ends are flat and in alignment with the bottom surface of the bottom member.

Claims

1. A method of riveting a suture tray package, comprising:

providing a top component having a top, a bottom, an outer periphery and a plurality of rivet members extending down from the bottom, the rivets members having free bottom ends;

providing a bottom component having a top, a substantially flat bottom, an outer periphery, a suture channel, and a plurality of rivet receiving holes extending through the bottom component for receiving the rivet members, and a counter bore extending into the bottom of the bottom component around each rivet receiving hole;

assembling the top component to the bottom component to form an assembly by substantially aligning the peripheries of the top and bottom components and aligning the rivets with corresponding rivet holes, and then moving the top and bottom components together such that the free ends of the rivets are substantially contained in the rivet receiving holes and counterbores surrounding the rivet holes;

providing an ultrasonic riveting apparatus comprising;

a frame;

a clamp member movably mounted to the frame, said clamp member having a cavity, a bottom surface, a top surface and openings in the top and bottom surfaces in communication with the cavity;

a base mounted to the frame for receiving the assembled bottom component and top component, the base having a top, a bottom, and a groove in the top for receiving the suture channel of the bottom component;

an ultrasonic horn member movingly mounted to the frame, said ultrasonic horn member having a substantially flat bottom surface, and said ultrasonic horn member moveable within the cavity of the clamp member; and

,

an ultrasonic generator connected to the horn member;

placing the assembly on the base member such that the bottom component is on top of the top component and the suture channel is substantially contained within the groove;

moving the clamp member to engage the bottom of the bottom member of the assembly;

moving the ultrasonic horn member through the cavity of the clamp member such that the bottom surface of the ultrasonic member engages the end of each rivet; and

,

energizing the horn with sufficient ultrasonic energy for a sufficient period of time to effectively heat and deform the ends of the rivets such that the ends of the rivets are contained within the counterbores surrounding the rivet holes, and the ends of the rivets are substantially flat and in alignment with the flat bottom surface of the bottom component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the top component additionally comprises a plurality of radially extending hinged doors to cover the suture channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the top component additionally comprises at least one needle park member extending up from the top.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic horn is moveable vertically.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the clamping member is moveable vertically.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic horn member exerts a force on the ends of the rivets.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the clamping member exerts a downward force on at least part of the assembly.