Bernard J Willis

US Patent:

57016569, Dec 30, 1997

Filed:

Jun 7, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/665054

Inventors:

Daniel Smith - Manalapan Township NJ
Bernard M. Willis - East Brunswick NJ
Kenneth P. Marschke - Medford NJ
Barry Littlewood - Harmony NJ
Vulgens Schoen - Stockton NJ
Carl Gucker - Branchburg NJ
Michael Nordmeyer - Neshanic Station NJ
Thaddeus Miklewicz - Nazareth PA

Assignee:

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

International Classification:

B23P 1304

US Classification:

29558

Abstract:

A process for manufacturing wire or needles having a taper point. Needle or wire blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are moved through a succession of forming and trimming and grinding stations. The blanks are preferably rotated in the strip while being ground.

US Patent:

56448341, Jul 8, 1997

Filed:

Mar 25, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/621375

Inventors:

Daniel Smith - Manalapan Township NJ
Bernard M. Willis - East Brunswick NJ
Kenneth P. Marschke - Medford NJ
Barry Littlewood - Harmony NJ
Vulgens Schoen - Stockton NJ
Carl Gucker - Branchburg NJ
Michael Nordmeyer - Neshanic Station NJ
Thaddeus Miklewicz - Nazareth PA

Assignee:

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

International Classification:

B23P 1304

US Classification:

29557

Abstract:

A process for manufacturing wire or needles having a taper point. Needle or wire blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are moved through a succession of forming and trimming and grinding stations. The blanks are preferably rotated in the strip while being ground.

US Patent:

56618930, Sep 2, 1997

Filed:

Nov 13, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/558946

Inventors:

Daniel Smith - Manalapan Township NJ
Bernard M. Willis - East Brunswick NJ
Kenneth P. Marschke - Medford NJ
Barry Littlewood - Harmony NJ
Vulgens Schoen - Stockton NJ
Carl Gucker - Branchburg NJ
Michael Nordmeyer - Neshanic Station NJ
Thaddeus Miklewicz - Nazareth PA

Assignee:

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

International Classification:

B23P 1304

US Classification:

29558

Abstract:

A process for manufacturing wire or needles having a taper point. Needle or wire blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are moved through a succession of forming and trimming and grinding stations. The blanks are preferably rotated in the strip while being ground.

US Patent:

56302681, May 20, 1997

Filed:

Jun 7, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/478116

Inventors:

Daniel Smith - Manalapan Township NJ
Bernard M. Willis - East Brunswick NJ
Kenneth P. Marschke - Medford NJ
Barry Littlewood - Harmony NJ
Vulgens Schoen - Stockton NJ
Carl Gucker - Branchburg NJ
Michael Nordmeyer - Neshanic Station NJ
Thaddeus Miklewicz - Nazareth PA

Assignee:

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

International Classification:

B23P 1304

US Classification:

29557

Abstract:

A process for manufacturing surgical needles from solid, cylindrical needle blanks. A plurality of needle blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a flat carrier strip. The carrier strip then indexes each needle blank to a grinding station where an orbital grinding means grinds the distal end of each needle blank into a taper point while the needle blanks are held fixed in the carrier strip.

US Patent:

54776040, Dec 26, 1995

Filed:

Nov 1, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/146681

Inventors:

Daniel Smith - Manalapan Township, Monmouth County NJ
Bernard M. Willis - East Brunswick NJ
Kenneth P. Marschke - Medford NJ
Barry Littlewood - Harmony NJ
Vulgens Schoen - Stockton NJ
Carl Gucker - Branchburg NJ
Michael Nordmeyer - Neshanic Station NJ
Thaddeus Miklewicz - Nazareth PA

International Classification:

B23P 1304

US Classification:

29558

Abstract:

A process for manufacturing wire or needles having a taper point. Needle or wire blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are moved through a succession of forming and trimming and grinding stations. The blanks are preferably rotated in the strip while being ground.

US Patent:

55399738, Jul 30, 1996

Filed:

Jun 7, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/474932

Inventors:

Daniel Smith - Manalapan Township NJ
Bernard M. Willis - East Brunswick NJ
Kenneth P. Marschke - Medford NJ
Barry Littlewood - Harmony NJ
Vulgens Schoen - Stockton NJ
Carl Gucker - Branchburg NJ
Michael Nordmeyer - Neshanic Station NJ
Thaddeus Miklewicz - Nazareth PA

Assignee:

Ethicon, Inc. - Somverville NJ

International Classification:

B23P 1304

US Classification:

29558

Abstract:

A process for manufacturing wire or needles having a taper point. Needle or wire blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are moved through a succession of forming and trimming and grinding stations. The blanks are preferably rotated in the strip while being ground.

US Patent:

57762686, Jul 7, 1998

Filed:

Jun 25, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/882064

Inventors:

William McJames - Belle Mead NJ
Bernard M. Willis - East Brunswick NJ
Daniel Smith - Manalapan Townshiip NJ
Eugene Reynolds - Freehold NJ
Carl Gucker - Branchburg NJ
Michael Nordmeyer - Neshanic Station NJ

Assignee:

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

International Classification:

C21D 600

US Classification:

148656

Abstract:

A process for progressively manufacturing cutting edge needles or wire members. Needle blanks or wire blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are moved through a succession of coining dies and at least one trimming die, wherein the first coining die is an open coining die and the one or more successive coining dies are closed coining dies. The needle blanks or wire members are optionally curved, heat treated and electrochemically treated resulting in cutting edge needles or wire members formed without a grinding step and without adversely affecting point ductility.