Patent ID: 6807796
Filing Date: 2004-10-26
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of moving a suture and surgical needle assembly to a package, comprising:providing a surgical needle and suture assembly, comprising a surgical suture having a first end and second end, and a surgical needle mounted to an end of the suture, said suture having a length; providing a loading apparatus for loading the surgical needle into a package, the apparatus comprising: a frame having a top surface; a block slidably mounted to the top surface, said block having a pair of jaws for receiving a surgical needle mounted thereto, wherein said jaws are moveable with respect to each other; a storage disk rotatably mounted to the frame, said disk having a top, a bottom and a side; first and second circumferential grooves contained in the side of the disk for receiving at least part of a length of a suture; a passage way in said side of said disk connecting the grooves; a motion device mounted to the top surface; a pair of placement jaws mounted to the motion device for gripping a surgical needle; a displacement shaft mounted to the frame, such that the shaft is displaceable between a first position and a section position; and, a displacement member mounted to a displacement shaft for engaging a suture to move the suture between the first groove and the second groove; inserting the surgical needle in the jaws of the block and engaging the needle with the jaws; moving the block and engaged needle to the motion device; rotating the storage disk to move substantially the entire length of suture into the circumferential grooves; employing the motion device to remove the needle from the jaws and move the needle into a suture package mounted to a suture winding machine; and, rotating the package on the winding machine to move the suture from the grooves and into the package.