US 11,723,652 B2
Suturing apparatus and method
Adam Lee Smith, Palm Desert, CA (US)
Assigned to Gyrus ACMI, Inc., Westborough, MA (US)
Filed by Gyrus ACMI Inc., Southborough, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 28, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/34,183.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/908,524, filed on Sep. 30, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/908,503, filed on Sep. 30, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/908,554, filed on Sep. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0093320 A1, Apr. 1, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 17/04 (2006.01); A61B 17/11 (2006.01); A61B 17/06 (2006.01); A61B 17/062 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/0482 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0625 (2013.01); A61B 17/06066 (2013.01); A61B 17/11 (2013.01); A61B 2017/06076 (2013.01); A61B 2017/1107 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a frame configured to counter-rotatably support two generally parallel rollers;
a first roller supported by the frame, the first roller having a flat surface configured to rollably engage a first face of a shaft of a helically-shaped needle; and
a second roller supported by the frame, the second roller having a grooved surface defining a helical groove that is configured to at least partially receive a second face of the shaft, wherein the second roller further defines a correcting recess bounded by lateral surfaces at a forward end of the groove that tapers to a width of the groove at the forward end of the groove, and wherein when a leading end of the helically-shaped needle is received into the correcting recess responsive to counter-rotation of the first and second rollers, at least one of the lateral surfaces engages and guides the leading end into the forward end of the groove,
wherein the correcting recess defines a flared opening to the helical groove that includes a widened area relative to a largest width of the helical groove.