RAPID THERMAL TREATMENT FOR ENHANCING BENDING STIFFNESS AND YIELD MOMENT OF CURVED NEEDLES

摘要

An apparatus for thermally treating a plurality of curved suture needles. Theapparatus includes a conveyer fortransferring the plurality of curved suture needles from a source of curvedsuture needles to a receiver, a housing positioned adjacentthe conveyer, the housing having a first end, a second end, and an openingrunning from the first end to the second end, the openingaligned with the conveyer to enable the plurality of curved suture needles topass therethrough, and a heat source located within thehousing for heating the plurality of curved suture needles as the plurality ofcurved suture needles are transferred by the conveyerfrom the first end of the housing to the second end of the housing. Alsoprovided is a process for thermally treating a plurality ofcurved suture needles to enhance the stiffness and yield moment of the curvedsuture needles. The curved suture needles so treatedhave a desirable combination of stiffness, strength and ductility.