Machine for the automated packaging of needles and attached sutures and method of utilizing the packaging machine
US5473854A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 13, 1994 |
| Grant date | Dec 12, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 13, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2050/0084
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An automated machine for the high-speed packaging of multiple surgical needles each with an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover structure providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the needles and attached sutures. Additionally, the automated packaging machine incorporates operative mechanism adapted to wind the sutures into a peripheral channel of the tray and facilitating the attachment of the cover to the tray which contains the needles and attached wound sutures, and from which cover there is concurrently formed a separate product-identifying label as a component of the tray upon removal of the cover to gain access to the contents of the tray. The automated packaging machine also provides for a rotary turret or turntable for the high-speed sequential loading of successive forwardly indexed trays with the needles and attached sutures; the indexed advance of the needle and suture-filled tray to a suitable suture-winding station of the machine, the subsequent conveyance of the trays containing the needles and attached wound sutures to a cover-applying station of the machine to provide the suture packages, and the subsequent automated removal of the compl…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.