Patent ID: 6163948
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: A61B,B21G,B65B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of attaching a suture to a surgical needle having a suture receiving opening formed therein, said method comprising:(a) singulating a plurality of randomly arranged surgical needles, said method step including the step of manually sliding individual surgical needles on a surface from said plurality to a drop opening for transfer to an indexing conveyor;(b) robotically transferring said surgical needles from said indexing conveyor to a precise positioning apparatus, and then orienting each surgical needle in a precise position for subsequent automatic handling at a first predetermined location;(c) receiving each precisely positioned surgical needle at said first predetermined location with a universal gripper and then indexing each of said surgical needles in said predetermined orientation from said first predetermined location through successive predetermined locations for subsequent sequential processing;(d) automatically cutting an indefinite length of suture material to a definite length at a suture cutting station and automatically inserting said suture into said suture receiving opening formed in said surgical needle;(e) automatically swaging said surgical needle to close said suture receiving opening about a free end of said suture to secure said suture thereto and form therefrom a needle and suture assembly;(f) collecting individual needle and suture assemblies from said universal gripper and then forming them into bundles for subsequent packaging;whereby unsorted needles and an indefinite length of suture material are formed into a bundle of needle and suture assemblies.