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Publication Number
US-10898181-B2
Publication Date
2021-01-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
A suturing system including apparatus and methods for disposing stitches in a substrate comprising a thread carrier which inserts a thread in the substrate at a first location and withdraws the thread from the substrate at a second location.
Core Innovation
A thread capture device is provided with a thread carrier having a terminal end, a notch disposed in a thread carrier external surface proximate the terminal end, and an aperture element passing through the thread carrier. The aperture element has a pair of openings disposed on opposite sides of the thread carrier and is disposed separate from and between the thread carrier terminal end and the notch.
A thread capturer includes a first resiliently flexible hook member terminating in a first hook. The thread carrier is moved to slidably engage the thread capturer with the first hook, so that the hook aligns with and passes into a notch passage first end and out of a notch passage second end, each open on the thread carrier external surface.
The thread capture device can include resiliently flexible hook structures including a second resiliently flexible hook member terminating in a second hook. The first and second hooks can be positioned in relation to one another so that slidably engagement with opposite sides of the thread carrier occurs, including configurations in which the hooks overlap, while the thread carrier moves through engagement and then slidably disengages.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent claims covering a thread capture device and two methods performed in a thread capture device. Across the independent claims, the core inventive theme is the interaction of a thread carrier notch and an aperture element with a resiliently flexible hook that aligns with and passes through the notch passage, followed by relative movement and disengagement.
Thread carrier notch and aperture element for hook passage
A thread capture device includes a thread carrier having a terminal end, a notch disposed in a thread carrier external surface proximate the terminal end, and an aperture element passing through the thread carrier and having a pair of openings on opposite sides of the thread carrier, the aperture element disposed separate from and between the thread carrier terminal end and the notch.
Resiliently flexible hook aligned to notch passage
A thread capturer includes a first resiliently flexible hook member terminating in a first hook, wherein the thread carrier moves to slidably engage the thread carrier external surface with the first hook, the hook aligning with and passing into a notch passage first end and out of a notch passage second end each open on the thread carrier external surface.
Method of disposing notch and aperture element for hook capture
A method in a thread capture device includes disposing a notch in a thread carrier proximate a thread carrier terminal end, disposing an aperture element in the thread carrier passing through and having a pair of openings on opposite sides, and disposing the aperture element separate from and between the thread carrier terminal end and the notch, and disposing a thread capturer in spatial relation so that a first resiliently flexible hook member terminating in a first hook enables the thread carrier to slidably engage the thread carrier external surface with the first hook so the hook aligns with and passes into a notch passage first end and out of a notch passage second end each open on the thread carrier external surface.
Method of moving thread carrier for hook engagement and disengagement
A method in a thread capture device includes moving a thread carrier in relation to a thread capturer, with the thread carrier having a terminal end, a notch in a thread carrier external surface proximate the terminal end, and an aperture element passing through with a pair of openings on opposite sides disposed separate from and between the terminal end and the notch, and with the thread capturer having a first resiliently flexible hook member terminating in a first hook, the method including slidably engaging the thread carrier external surface to the first hook, aligning the first hook with a notch disposed in the thread carrier, passing the first hook into a notch first end and out of a notch second end each open on the thread carrier external surface, and slidably disengaging the thread carrier from the first resiliently flexible hook member.
Taken together, the independent claims require a thread carrier that includes a notch proximate a terminal end and an aperture element between the terminal end and the notch, and a thread capturer with a resiliently flexible hook that aligns with and passes through the notch passage from one exposed end to the other, including relative movement sequences that enable engagement and subsequent slidably disengagement.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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