US4034850A — Package for double-armed sutures with self-center…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 89 words

A suture package comprising at least two panels and a suture storage compartment between said panels, a suture strand contained within said compartment with both ends of said suture strand extending from the compartment, a needle affixed to each end of said suture strand, a pledget slidably attached to said suture strand adjacent one of said needles, and pledget centering means in one of said panels intermediate said pledget and said needle for centering the pledget on the suture strand as said suture strand is withdrawn from said compartment.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 89 words

A suture package comprising at least two panels and a suture storage compartment between said panels, a suture strand contained within said compartment with both ends of said suture strand extending from the compartment, a needle affixed to each end of said suture strand, a pledget slidably attached to said suture strand adjacent one of said needles, and pledget centering means in one of said panels intermediate said pledget and said needle for centering the pledget on the suture strand as said suture strand is withdrawn from said compartment.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

A package of claim 1 wherein said pledget centering means are incorporated in a panel extending beyond the suture storage compartment.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

A package of claim 1 wherein said pledget centering means include a passageway for the suture and restraining means for the pledget.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

A package of claim 2 wherein said suture passageway is an opening in said panel of said package and said pledget restraining means is a projection across said opening.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

A package of claim 1 wherein said pledget centering means are incorporated in a panel forming a wall of the suture storage compartment.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

A package of claim 1 wherein said pledget is a felt of a biologically acceptable material.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 133 words

A package for double-armed sutures comprising at least two panels forming a suture storage compartment having at least one open end, a double-armed suture contained in said compartment with both armed ends extending from the open end thereof, a pledget slidably affixed to the suture strand adjacent one end of said strand, pledget centering means in one of said panels spaced from said suture storage compartment and intermediate said pledget and the end of said suture strand, said pledget centering means comprising a passageway for said suture strand and pledget stop means whereby when said suture strand is withdrawn from the package compartment through the suture passageway, the pledget engages the pledget stop means and is slidably displaced along the length of the suture until the suture is completely removed from the package.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 133 words

A package for double-armed sutures comprising at least two panels forming a suture storage compartment having at least one open end, a double-armed suture contained in said compartment with both armed ends extending from the open end thereof, a pledget slidably affixed to the suture strand adjacent one end of said strand, pledget centering means in one of said panels spaced from said suture storage compartment and intermediate said pledget and the end of said suture strand, said pledget centering means comprising a passageway for said suture strand and pledget stop means whereby when said suture strand is withdrawn from the package compartment through the suture passageway, the pledget engages the pledget stop means and is slidably displaced along the length of the suture until the suture is completely removed from the package.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 22 words

A package of claim 7 wherein said suture is coiled in the form of a figure eight within said suture storage compartment.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 33 words

A package of claim 7 wherein said pledget centering means comprises a projection defined by a semi-circular opening and an arc extending the circumferential boundary of said opening and terminating in an aperture.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 21 words

A package of claim 7 wherein said pledget centering means comprises a projection defined by two apertures and an interconnecting arc.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 193 words

A multistrand suture package for double-armed sutures comprising a first panel having a bottom edge, a top edge and two side edges, said panel being divided into an upper section and a lower section, a second panel overlying the lower section of said first panel and sealed to said first panel along spaced lines parallel to said side edges to form a plurality of adjacent compartments that are opened at the top edge of said second panel, a suture strand contained within each of said compartments with both ends of said suture strand extending from the open end of said compartment, a needle affixed to each end of said suture strand, a pledget slidably attached to said suture strand adjacent one of said needles, pledget centering means spaced from said suture compartment in said upper section of said first panel, said pledget centering means including a suture strand passageway sized smaller than said pledget whereby when the suture strand is withdrawn from the package compartment through the passageway the pledget is restrained by the passageway and slidably displaced along the length of the suture until the suture is completely removed from the package.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 193 words

A multistrand suture package for double-armed sutures comprising a first panel having a bottom edge, a top edge and two side edges, said panel being divided into an upper section and a lower section, a second panel overlying the lower section of said first panel and sealed to said first panel along spaced lines parallel to said side edges to form a plurality of adjacent compartments that are opened at the top edge of said second panel, a suture strand contained within each of said compartments with both ends of said suture strand extending from the open end of said compartment, a needle affixed to each end of said suture strand, a pledget slidably attached to said suture strand adjacent one of said needles, pledget centering means spaced from said suture compartment in said upper section of said first panel, said pledget centering means including a suture strand passageway sized smaller than said pledget whereby when the suture strand is withdrawn from the package compartment through the passageway the pledget is restrained by the passageway and slidably displaced along the length of the suture until the suture is completely removed from the package.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 36 words

A package of claim 11 wherein a film of a heat sealing composition is provided between said first and second panels and said panels are heat sealed along said lines to form a plurality of compartments.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 15 words

A package of claim 12 wherein said heat sealing composition is a low density polyethylene.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 19 words

A package of claim 11 wherein said first and second panels are constructed of a relatively stiff foldable material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 10 words

A package of claim 11 wherein said material is paperboard.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 34 words

A package of claim 11 wherein the upper section of the first panel is folded forward over the second panel and said folded package is retained in its folded position by a retaining sleeve.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 12 words

A package of claim 16 enclosed in a sterile, hermetically sealed envelope.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 64 words

A package of claim 11 comprising a third panel overlying said second panel and sealed thereto along lines coinciding with the lines of sealing between said first and second panels to form a plurality of adjacent compartments coinciding with the underlying compartments between said first and second panels, and said panels are heat sealed along said lines to form a plurality of said compartments.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 14 words

A package of claim 18 wherein the heat sealing composition is low density polyethylene.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 12 words

A package of claim 18 containing from four to ten suture compartments.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 13 words

A package of claim 18 wherein said third panel is constructed of paperboard.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 14 words

A package of claim 11 wherein said pledget is needle pierceable biologically acceptable material.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 23 words

A package of claim 22 wherein said pledget is a felt pad selected from the group consisting of a polytetrafluoroethylene or polyethylene terephthalate.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-07-11	1981-01-10	1981-07-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-07-11	1985-01-10	1985-07-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-07-11	1989-01-10	1989-07-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Package for double-armed sutures with self-centering pledgets

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