Patent US6358271B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6358271B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fused loop of filamentous material and apparatus for making same
Assignee: AXYA HOLDINGS Inc
•
Filing: 1998-08-27
•
Granted: 2002-03-19
•
Expires: 2018-08-27
Abstract
Abstract This invention is a fused loop (10) of an elongated material such as a surgical suture, and apparatus for making the loop. Portions of one or more segments (12) to be joined together are fused in a welding process to form a welded joint (14). The shear area of the fused portion (20) of the joint (14) determines the strength of the joint (14), and is thus preferably relatively large. Various configurations for the welding apparatus facilitate the creation of relatively large fused portions (20) of the joint (14) by maximizing contact between at least one of the welding members of the apparatus, and at least one of the segments (12) to be joined.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas D. Egan
- 👤 Paul V. Fenton, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:50
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/0487; A61B17/06; A61B17/06166; A61L; A61L17/00; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/52; B29C66/526; B29C66/5261; B29C66/69; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81411; B29C66/81421; B29C66/81422; B29C66/81423; B29C66/81433; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29C66/8322; A61B2017/00526; A61B17/0401; A61B2017/0446; A61B2017/0454; A61B2017/0619; B29C66/70; B29C66/71; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/8145; B29C66/81463; B29K; B29K2023/00; B29K2023/10; B29K2023/12; B29K2067/00; B29K2067/04; B29K2067/043; B29K2077/00; B29K2101/00; B29K2101/12; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/709; B29L2031/7096; B29L2031/7102
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
295 words
A fused loop of an elongated material, comprising: one or more segments of said material extending along a principal axis, portions of said segments being oppositely directed and joined together to form a loop at a joint region extending between first and second ends and including: i. a first portion of elongated material extending form said first end, ii. a second portion of elongated material extending from said second end, and iii. a fused portion between said first and second portions, said fused portion comprising a relatively thin layer of fused material from the first and second portions, wherein the elongated material in said first and second portions of the joint region is characterized by a high degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the principal axis of the material and high strength in the direction of the principal axis of the material and high strength in the direction of the principal axis relative to the degree of molecular orientation and strength in other than the direction of the principal axis, and the fused material in the fused portion of the joint region in characterized by a low degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the principal axis of the material relative to the degree of molecular orientation in other than the direction of principal axis and the first and second portions at the first and second ends of the joint region outside of the fused portion have cross-sectional areas which are greater than the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions of the joint region which abut the fused portion, wherein said first portion, said second portion and said fused portion bear a pattern transverse to the principal axes of said elongated material adjacent to the respective first and second portions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
295 words
A fused loop of an elongated material, comprising: one or more segments of said material extending along a principal axis, portions of said segments being oppositely directed and joined together to form a loop at a joint region extending between first and second ends and including: i. a first portion of elongated material extending form said first end, ii. a second portion of elongated material extending from said second end, and iii. a fused portion between said first and second portions, said fused portion comprising a relatively thin layer of fused material from the first and second portions, wherein the elongated material in said first and second portions of the joint region is characterized by a high degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the principal axis of the material and high strength in the direction of the principal axis of the material and high strength in the direction of the principal axis relative to the degree of molecular orientation and strength in other than the direction of the principal axis, and the fused material in the fused portion of the joint region in characterized by a low degree of molecular orientation in the direction of the principal axis of the material relative to the degree of molecular orientation in other than the direction of principal axis and the first and second portions at the first and second ends of the joint region outside of the fused portion have cross-sectional areas which are greater than the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions of the joint region which abut the fused portion, wherein said first portion, said second portion and said fused portion bear a pattern transverse to the principal axes of said elongated material adjacent to the respective first and second portions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 wherein the respective imparted patterns of said first portion and said second portion are complementary.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 wherein the respective imputed patterns of said first portion and said second portion are non-complementary.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 wherein the imparted pattern of at least one of said first and second portions is periodic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 wherein the imparted pattern of at least one of said first and second portions is aperiodic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the first and second portions at the first and second ends of the joint region and outside of the fused portion is approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of a segment of the elongated material outside of the joint region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 6 wherein the cross-sectional areas of said first and second portions of the joint region abutting the fused portion are a minimum at approximately the middle of the fused portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 7 wherein the cross-sectional areas of said first and second portions at approximately the middle of the fused portion are approximately half the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions at the first and second ends of the joint region and outside of the fused portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 8 wherein a change in the cross-sectional areas of the first and second portions per unit length of the first and second portions in the direction of the principal axis of the elongated material is substantially constant over the length of the fused portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 9 wherein said elongated material comprises a substantially monofilamentous material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 10 wherein said monofilamentous material is a polymeric material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 11 , wherein said monofilamentous material is a thermoplastic material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 12 , wherein said monofilamentous material comprises a surgical suture material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 8 , wherein said segments of said material are joined together in a lap weld at said joint region.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 13 , wherein said weld is effected using ultrasonic energy.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 13 , wherein said weld is effected using laser energy.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 13 , wherein said weld is effected using electrical arc discharge energy.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 13 , wherein said weld is effected using thermal energy.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 9 , wherein said loop is defined by joining portions of a single segment of said material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 9 , wherein said loop is defined by joining portions of a plurality of segments of said material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
168 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 9 , wherein upon application of a tensile force to said joint region in the direction of the principal axis of the material so that the first and second portions of said joint region are loaded substantially in tension and the fused portion of said joint region is loaded substantially in shear, the following equation is substantially satisfied: A w τ fw ≧A u σ fu , wherein A w is the shear area of the fused portion, τ fw is the shear stress to failure of the fused portion, A u is the total cross-sectional area of the first and second portions of the joint region near the first and second ends of the joint region and outside of the fused portion, and σ fu is the tensile stress to failure of the first and second portions of the joint region near the first and second ends of the joint region and outside of the fused portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 10 , wherein said segment of said elongated material comprises a single strand of said substantially monofilamentous material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 10 , wherein said segment of said elongated material comprises a plurality of strands of said substantially monofilamentous material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A fused loop of an elongated material according to claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional areas of the joined material gradually change over the length of the joined region.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
Ultrasonic welding apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein one of said first and second suture-contacting surfaces is substantially convex, and the other of said suture-contacting surfaces is substantially concave.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3513848A
Cited
US3762418A
Cited
US4209563A
Cited
US4588408A
Cited
US5417700A
Cited
US5383883A
Cited
US5643289A
Cited
US6126676A
Cited
US5893880A
Cited
US6174324B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-03-18 | 2005-09-17 | 2006-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-03-18 | 2009-09-17 | 2010-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-03-18 | 2013-09-17 | 2014-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |