Patent US5494620A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5494620A
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Method of manufacturing a monofilament suture
Assignee: United States Surgical Corp
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Filing: 1993-11-24
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Granted: 1996-02-27
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Expires: 2013-11-24
Abstract
Abstract A process and apparatus are provided for manufacturing monofilaments possessing improved physical characteristics such as knot-pull and straight-pull strength.
Inventors
- 👤 Cheng-Kung Liu
- 👤 Richard P. Stevenson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:29
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L17/00; A61L17/14; D; D01; D01D; D01D10/00; D01F; D01F6/00; D01F6/02; D01F6/04; D01F6/08; D01F6/12; D01F6/58; D01F6/60; D01F6/62; D01F6/625
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A monofilament manufacturing process comprising the steps of melt extruding and quenching a polymer to provide a solidified monofilament, stretching the solidified monofilament to achieve molecular orientation, cooling the stretched monofilament to maintain the dimensional stability of the stretched monofilament and optionally annealing the monofilament; wherein the stretched monofilament is cooled under temperatures ranging from about -15° to about -10° C.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
A monofilament manufacturing process comprising the steps of melt extruding and quenching a polymer to provide a solidified monofilament, stretching the solidified monofilament to achieve molecular orientation, cooling the stretched monofilament to maintain the dimensional stability of the stretched monofilament and optionally annealing the monofilament; wherein the stretched monofilament is cooled under temperatures ranging from about -15° to about -10° C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the stretched monofilament is subjected to the cooling operation for a period of time ranging from about 0.5 minutes to about 4 hours.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the stretched monofilament is subjected to the cooling operation for a period of time ranging from about 30 minutes to about 3 hours.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises a bioabsorbable polymer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the bioabsorbable polymer comprises a homopolymer, copolymer or blend obtained from one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of glycolide, glycolic acid, lactide, lactic acid, p-dioxanone, epsilon-caprolactone and trimethylene carbonate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises a nonbioabsorbable polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate and polyvinylidene fluoride.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-02-26 | 1999-08-28 | 2000-02-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-02-26 | 2003-08-28 | 2004-02-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-02-26 | 2007-08-28 | 2008-02-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |