Stand alone swage dial drive assembly
US5873212A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB21J7/14
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A semi-automated machine for singulating individual surgical needles from an bulk supply and attaching a suture to the surgical needle is described. The machine includes a needle singulation station, a precise positioning station, a suture feeding station, a swage station, a pull-test station and an off-load station. A universal gripper mounted on a rotary indexing device automatically receives each individual needle in a predetermined orientation and conveys the needle for sequential processing from station to station to form the needle-suture assembly. The rotary indexing device is driven by a single shaft drive assembly which provides a compact annular drive from two intermittent indexing drives to two coaxial cam dials that provide rotation and reciprocation of the universal gripper. A swage station is provided for swaging the needle to close the suture receiving opening about the suture to secure said suture thereto and form therefrom a needle and suture assembly. A final off-load station provides an apparatus for assembling a predetermined number of need-suture assemblies in a bundle for subsequent packaging.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.